Trump Administration Announces JD Vance as his Vice Presidential Candidate
On July 15th, 2024, the Trump Administration released JD Vance as the pick for his Vice-Presidential candidate. Vance is the U.S. Senator of Ohio, and a former marine. He is relatively new to the Senate with limited legislative experience. Vance rose to prominence with his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, a New York Times best seller which offered an explanation for Trumps appeal to middle America, especially among the working class, rural white voters who helped Trump win the presidency. Vance has not always been an avowed Trump supporter, but previously issued statements calling the former President an idiot, and saying he was the equivalent of cultural heroine. The two have now cultivated a strong political and personal relationship, and Vance is one of the strongest Trump supporters in the Senate. Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri Vance, a former Supreme Court clerk for Chief Justice John Roberts. Vance is also a strong supporter of Project 2025 and his been praised by various conservative journalists, members of congress, and top Trump aides.
Some of his views include:
• Vance proposed legislation to significantly reduce federal incentives for electric vehicles and criticized clean energy jobs.
• Criticisms of the CDC's response to public health issues, such as the major train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
• Much more aggressive anti-abortion stance than Trump, supporting a nationwide ban without exceptions for rape or incest.
• He has introduced legislation against gender-affirming care for minors and opposes taxpayer funding for such care, criminalizing doctors who assist in this care.
• Vance founded a charity related to the opioid crisis, which has faced scrutiny for ties to Purdue Pharma.
• In 2022, Vance expressed support for Medicare negotiating drug prices, aligning with a Biden administration policy.
• Vance's investment interests indicate a focus on new care models and artificial intelligence, despite GOP opposition to Biden's AI executive order.
• J.D. Vance diverges from traditional Republican supply-side economics by showing less enthusiasm for tax cuts. He is open to endorsing tax hikes, particularly for high earners.
• Proposals that will dramatically increase taxes on large universities' endowments, and many argue that his plans would be detrimental to higher education funding.
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