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J.D. Vance

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Parent: 2022 United States Senate elections Hop 4
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J.D. Vance
NameJ.D. Vance
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2023
OfficeUnited States Senator from Ohio
Term startJanuary 3, 2023
PredecessorRob Portman
PartyRepublican (2016–present)
OtherpartyIndependent (before 2016)
SpouseUsha Chilukuri (m. 2014)
EducationOhio State University (BA), Yale University (JD)
BranchUnited States Marine Corps
Serviceyears2003–2007
Unit2nd Battalion, 5th Marines
BattlesIraq War

J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, and venture capitalist serving as the junior United States Senator from Ohio since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he rose to national prominence following the publication of his bestselling 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. Prior to his political career, he served in the United States Marine Corps and worked in Silicon Valley for Peter Thiel's investment firm, Mithril Capital.

Early life and education

James David Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio, and spent much of his childhood in the Appalachian community of Jackson, Kentucky. His family struggled with opioid addiction and economic instability. After his parents' divorce, he was primarily raised by his maternal grandmother, known as Mamaw. He graduated from Middletown High School and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving from 2003 to 2007. Following his military service, he attended Ohio State University, graduating with a degree in political science and philosophy in 2009. He then earned a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2013, where he was an editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Military service

Vance served as a public affairs non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007. He was deployed to Iraq in 2004 with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, supporting operations during the Iraq War. His military service provided structure and discipline that he later credited as pivotal in his personal development, a theme explored in his memoir.

Career and Hillbilly Elegy

After Yale Law School, Vance worked as a venture capitalist at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital, in San Francisco. In 2016, he published his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, through HarperCollins. The book, a critical and commercial success, was promoted as an examination of the social and economic struggles of white working class Americans in Appalachia and the Rust Belt. It was widely discussed during the 2016 presidential election and was adapted into a Netflix film directed by Ron Howard in 2020. Vance also co-founded Narya Capital, a venture capital firm based in Cincinnati.

Political career

Initially a critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 primaries, Vance later became a staunch supporter. In 2021, he announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Rob Portman. He won a contentious Republican primary with Trump's endorsement, defeating candidates like Josh Mandel and Mike Gibbons. In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Tim Ryan. He was sworn into the 118th United States Congress in January 2023, serving on committees including the Banking Committee and the Commerce Committee.

Political positions

Vance is considered a populist and national conservative aligned with the America First movement. He is a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy regarding Ukraine, opposing large-scale aid packages. He advocates for restrictive immigration policies, including the completion of a border wall along the Mexico–United States border. On economic issues, he supports tariffs on China and has criticized the influence of large corporations and Big Tech. He is pro-life, supports Second Amendment rights, and has been critical of woke politics.

Personal life

In 2014, he married Usha Chilukuri Vance, a lawyer he met at Yale Law School who clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. They have three children and live in Cincinnati. He is a practicing Catholic, having converted from a Protestant background. His sister, Lindsay Vance, has also spoken publicly about their family's experiences.

Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:American memoirists Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War Category:Republican Party United States senators from Ohio Category:Yale Law School alumni