From ‘Never-Trump’ to veep pick, Vance’s transformation embodies nation’s shift toward Trump

Formerly a critic of Donald Trump, J.D. Vance’s rise as an "America First" champion and the GOP’s vice presidential nominee positions him to act as the chief salesman for the former president as Trump attempts to win over skeptical moderates and disaffected conservatives from the party’s old guard.

Vance identified himself with the “Never Trump” movement of the party in 2016, when Trump was first seeking the presidency. The Ohio Republican burst onto the national scene the same year with the publication of Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir addressing Appalachian values and the socioeconomic struggles of the region.

As of press time, Hillbilly Elegy’s paperback edition ranked number one on the Amazon bestseller list, while the hardback edition ranked number two.

He previously stated that he “never liked” Trump, called him a “terrible candidate,” and said he “might be America’s Hitler,” among other things. But six years and Trump’s efforts while in office evidently did wonders to change Vance’s attitude, and the pair began to find common ground during his 2022 Senate campaign.

In his April 2022 endorsement, Trump labeled Vance “the candidate most qualified and ready to win in November” and addressed his past criticisms, saying "like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not so great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades."

The Republican primary saw Vance fight for the nomination in a crowded field of candidates, but Trump’s endorsement helped him surge to the lead and ultimately claim the seat, after which he became one of Trump’s most stalwart supporters in the upper chamber, notably breaking with Senate leadership to advocate for a reserved approach to the Ukraine War and foreign intervention.

Trump officially announced his choice of running mate on Monday, saying "[a]fter lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio.”

The former president further asserted that Vance “will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond…."

Reportedly motivating the decision in part was data suggesting Vance tested well with younger voters and in key swing states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, aides familiar with the campaign’s vetting of Vance told Just the News.

"He brings a connection to those in [the] working class and those who fear the American dream is slipping away," one aide said.

Notably, Vance was not unique in his prior criticism of Trump among the members of the VP shortlist. Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum both challenged Trump for the GOP nomination, albeit in the 2016 and 2024 primaries, respectively.

After the selection, Vance received the party’s formal nomination on Monday for vice president via acclamation at the Republican National Convention. After receiving the nod, Vance directly addressed his past criticisms of Trump and outlined the reasons for changing his position.

"I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president, and he changed my mind… I think he changed the minds of a lot of Americans because, again, he delivered that peace and prosperity,” Vance said on Fox News’s “Hannity.”

As to his initial criticisms, Vance indicated that he had made a mistake by allowing himself to be swept up into narratives surrounding the president, rather than judging Trump for himself. "I bought into the media's lies and distortions. I bought into this idea that somehow he was going to be so different, a terrible threat to democracy. It was a joke," he added. "I actually think it's a good thing when you see somebody, you were wrong about him, you ought to admit the mistake and admit that you were wrong.”

While Vance’s own change of heart concerning Trump may serve as a vehicle for swaying other, similarly-minded voters in the Rust Belt, it could also prove a double-edged sword. Indeed, the Biden campaign has already seized upon his prior comments against his running mate to disparage Vance.

“How does a guy who used to say that Donald Trump and his policies were ‘reprehensible,’ become Donald Trump’s running mate?” the campaign asked in a Monday fundraising email reviewed by CNN. “Through years of being a rubber-stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme, MAGA agenda. You might even say he’s the poster child for Project 2025.”

Project 2025 is a presidential transition project from the Heritage Foundation that the Biden campaign has sought to pin to Trump, despite the former president’s insistence that he is not affiliated with it. The project has been the subject of widespread misinformation on social media, where memes mischaracterizing the plan have been planted by liberal operatives and their followers.

While Ohio has generally trended toward the Republicans in recent election cycles and is not expected to be a major battleground, the state’s position in the Rust Belt and Vance’s experience representing the Buckeye State will likely serve him in attempting to win over voters in neighboring swing states with similar interests to his constituents.

Should the Trump/Vance ticket emerge victorious, moreover, it would fall to Ohio GOP Gov. Mike DeWine to appoint an interim senator. Thus far, GOP heavyweights such as Vivek Ramaswamy and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, have emerged as potential replacements.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X.