On the occasion of the American presidential elections which will be held on Tuesday, November 5, Donald Trump announced on his personal social network, Truth Social, the name of his running mate on Monday evening. That will be the ultra-conservative senator from Ohio, James David Vance.
His fight against immigration and economic protectionism brought him closer to the ideas of Trump, whom he criticized in the past. James David Vance, 39, was named Monday evening to be Donald Trump’s running mate. His conversion to Trumpism contrasts with his past harsh criticism of the billionaire, once calling him ” silly “ and of “harmful”going so far as to compare it to “America’s Hitler”. Today, he is a fervent defender of the former president.
What is a running mate?
An essential role for the 2024 American presidential elections, the running mate designates the person who supports a candidate in the presidential election. He serves as vice-president following the victory of its candidate. The choice of running mate has become strategic, yet the American Constitution gives little importance to the vice-president.
The U.S. Constitution grants no executive role to the vice president, even though he is theoretically number two in the executive branch. The Secretary of State, although number five in this hierarchy, stands out as a much more present and media figure. The vice president cannot intervene in the debates of the Upper Housealthough he is the president according to the Constitution. However, he has the possibility, in the event of a tie vote, to use his vote to avoid the latter being blocked. He is elected by the same Electoral College that elects the President of the United States for an equivalent four-year term.
Before politics, what did Trump’s running mate do?
Originally from the “Rust Belt”in French “rust belt”, JD Vance has had a career that is atypical to say the least. He grew up in a modest single-parent family in this region of the northeastern United States, deeply marked by industrial decline. He performs a stint in the army then continues with law studies at one of the most prestigious universities in the country before building a career in Silicon Valley.
Also author, his book, “Hillbilly Elegy”published in 2016, made him known. In this autobiographical story, which became a bestseller adapted for the cinema, JD Vance recounts his chaotic childhood in a white America ravaged by unemployment and addictions. It depicts a disillusioned and downgraded working population, full of resentment.
This book attracted the attention of the ex-president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom he became a close friend. The latter would have played a big role in his appointment to the post of vice-president. Vance shares the same view as Donald Trump on issues such as immigration. Her your combative tone and his populist speechwon him the support of the billionaire in his campaign for the Senate in 2022.
Unlikely heir to Trump
His nomination as the Republican candidate’s running mate surprised more than one. He was originally a prominent member of the “Never Trump” movement during the 2016 election. But he has now turned around. He does not hesitate to openly criticize the Biden administration by denouncing the legal attacks against Trump as a threat to American democracy.
A true controversial figure in politics, JD Vance has marked Republican circles with his doubts about the actions of former Vice President Mike Pence during the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election. He shows that he is ready to defend his convictions even against the dominant opinion within his party, particularly on the legitimacy of the electoral results.
It was during the Trump trial regarding payments to porn star Stormy Danieldes that Vance showed his loyalty to the candidate. He also does not hesitate to defend it on media platforms such as Fox News. In Congress, he strongly opposed increased foreign aidparticularly in the context of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Also read: What exactly is “presidential immunity” in the United States?
A committed extremist
JD Vance does not hesitate to share his Christian faith as a reference. He regularly invokes his religion to guide his positions on various societal and political issues.
Father of three children, although he is perfectly aligned with Trump’s migratory and economic positions, JD Vance nevertheless appears more to the right on other issues, such as abortion, where he spoke out against exceptions to the bans, even in cases of rape or incest.
The man with the well-trimmed beard part of the “New Right” movement of which he has become one of the reference figures. This school of thought brings together young conservatives who are trying to give a more radical direction to Donald Trump’s isolationist and anti-immigration movement.
After the revelation of Trump’s running mate, his opponent’s reaction quickly appeared on social networks.
Joe Biden reacted strongly: “He and Trump want to raise taxes on middle-class households while favoring tax cuts for the rich” by calling the Ohio senator an extremist who “denies 2020 election result, supports nationwide ban on abortion”he added on his X account.
