Ohio Senator J.D. Vance was relatively unknown in the political arena until about eight years ago when his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” was published. Now, he is being considered as a potential candidate for the vice presidency of the United States.
Former President Donald Trump recently endorsed Vance for the position of vice president, praising his memoir, legal expertise, and venture capitalism experience. Trump highlighted Vance’s commitment to supporting American workers and farmers, particularly in states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Minnesota.
Vance, a 39-year-old Iraq War veteran, was elected to the Senate in 2022 with substantial support from Trump and financial backing from his former boss, Peter Thiel. Vance and Thiel first crossed paths at Yale Law School. After a brief tenure at Sidley Austin LLP, Vance moved to San Francisco to work as a venture capitalist, initially with Thiel’s Mithril Capital and later with AOL founder Stephen Case’s venture firm, Revolution, in Washington, D.C.
During his time at Revolution, Vance secured deals in military technology and artificial intelligence and formed connections with influential figures in the tech industry. In 2019, he founded Narya Capital, attracting high-profile investors like Thiel, Marc Andreeson, and Eric Schmidt. Vance promoted his work at Narya during his Senate campaign, claiming significant job creation in Ohio, although the exact figures were later disputed.
Thiel’s $15 million donation played a crucial role in Vance’s successful Senate campaign, marking the largest contribution to a single Senate candidate. Vance’s platform includes challenging large tech companies, supporting domestic natural gas and oil production, and opposing electric vehicles and solar power. Ohio is a significant player in gas production and coal consumption, aligning with Vance’s and Trump’s energy policies. Vance has expressed skepticism about climate change and criticized electric vehicles.
The article was corrected to note that Vance worked for Sidley Austin LLP for nine months, not three years as previously stated.