VP Hopeful JD Vance Addresses Republican National Convention: 'Tonight Is A Night Of Hope'
In his first official act since being asked to run as Donald Trump's vice presidential pick in the 2024 election, Sen. JD Vance told an audience at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday: "Tonight is a night of hope — a celebration of what America once was, and with God's grace, what it will soon be again."
Vance formally accepted the nomination to be Trump's running mate and laid out his vision for the country in a speech to the crowd at Fiserv Forum and Wisconsin Center District in Milwaukee, Wis. "My fellow Americans, this moment is not about me. It's about all of us and who we're fighting for," he said. "It's about the auto worker in Michigan, wondering why out-of-touch politicians are destroying your jobs... It's about the factory worker in Wisconsin, who makes things with their hands and is proud of American craftsmanship."
Vance also spoke about his upbringing in Ohio, an epoch he also chronicled in his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. The book was a New York Times Bestseller and was the basis for the 2020 feature film of the same name starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close. "My work taught me that there is still so much talent and grit in the American heartland," he said in his speech. "There really is. But for these places to thrive, my friends, we need a leader who fights for the people who built this country."
Vance is a Republican senator from Ohio. He served in the Marine Corps during the Iraq War and later graduated from The Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He has worked as a corporate lawyer and a venture capitalist before getting elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022.
With his remarks, Vance joined a roster of speakers including Donald Trump. Jr. and Eric Trump, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, "Proud to Be an American" singer Lee Greenwood, UFC CEO Dana White, rapper/influence Amber Rose and many GOP politicians and officials including U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14).
The announcement that Vance was joining Trump's ticket came hours ahead of the start of the 2024 Republican National Convention Monday, and two days after an assassination attempt on former president (and presumptive GOP nominee) Donald Trump at a Butler, Pa., campaign rally. Vance, a former harsh critic of the 45th president who once said he'd never vote for him, has softened his stance over time.
"Look, I was wrong about Donald Trump. I didn't think he was gonna be a good president," Vance said in a June Fox News interview. "He was a great president. And it's one of the reasons why I'm working so hard to make sure he gets a second term. I think you should – when you're wrong about something – you should change your mind and be honest with people about that fact."
The RNC's final day is Thursday, when Trump — the Republican nominee for president — is expected to give a speech. The 2024 Democratic National Convention will follow next month at Chicago's United Center, from Aug. 19-22.