Former President Donald Trump has chosen Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, as his vice presidential running mate, taking a once-strident critic and elevating him as the leading heir to his political legacy.
Vance, who will turn 40 in August, offers a youthful contrast to Trump, 78, and President Joe Biden, 81.
He would be the third-youngest vice president in history — behind John Breckinridge (36 years old upon taking office in 1857) and Richard Nixon (40 years and 11 days in 1953). And he was selected just days after Trump survived an assassination attempt Saturday, underlining the gravity of the vice presidential selection in stark terms.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump posted Monday afternoon on Truth Social.
As a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, Vance also brings military experience to the ticket, as well as right-wing populist views that mesh with Trump’s “America First” sloganeering and the “Make America Great Again” movement. Vance, for example, has opposed U.S. aid to Ukraine and pushed to stall confirmation of Biden’s judicial nominees in a protest over Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts in a New York state case in May.
Trump selected Vance after a search that started with at least a dozen possible running mates. In the final weeks, the list of prospects narrowed, with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida among the other finalists.
Source:opemsuo.com