Why Trump Chose JD Vance as His Running Mate

In 2016, when Donald Trump chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, it was widely seen as an attempt to court evangelical Christian voters who might have been reluctant to support Trump, a former Democrat who has been married three times.

This time, he opted for J.D. Vance. And as with his previous choice, the Ohio senator’s pick offers a glimpse into the former president’s campaign strategy — and, perhaps, how he would govern if he returned to the White House.

The choice suggests that Trump knows this election will be won or lost in a handful of key industrial states in the Midwest.

Originally from Ohio, Mr. Vance gained public attention after the release of his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which chronicles his working-class upbringing and how it affected his politics and worldview.

With his experience, Vance may be well positioned to connect with and energize the type of white, working-class voters who narrowly handed Trump victory in these states in 2016.

The former president said as much in the social media post announcing his decision, writing that his running mate “will focus strongly on the people he fought so brilliantly for, American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and beyond.”

Trump then praised his chosen military service and Ivy League law school pedigree.

At just 39, Vance will provide a youthful counterpoint to the candidates at the top of both presidential slates. Trump’s pick puts the Ohioan at the forefront of a new generation of MAGA Republicans. And if the former president returns to the Oval Office next year, Vance will instantly join the conversation for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination.

Vance, however, criticized Trump in the run-up to the 2016 election — something Democrats were quick to point out — but he has since become a vocal defender of the former president, particularly on television news networks.

His recent loyalty and effectiveness likely played a role in Trump’s decision.

Asked whether he thought Trump’s loss in the 2020 election was fair, he said no. He also said that, unlike Pence, he would have tried to block Congress from certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol riot.

Mr. Vance also shares the former president’s political ideology. They share similar views on trade, immigration and foreign policy. Mr. Vance has been particularly critical of the United States’ continued support for Ukraine.

In areas where the two men differed, Mr. Vance has brought his new running mate closer together. For example, he has abandoned a previous position that barred women who had been raped or incest from accessing abortions.

During his campaign, Trump unveiled some of his plans for a second term: widespread tariffs, a promise to deport tens of millions of undocumented immigrants and an aggressive restructuring of the federal bureaucracy. The choice of Vance is further evidence that Trump has redoubled his efforts to conform to Trumpism.

It’s also a point his Democratic opponents are sure to emphasize. On Monday, Mr. Biden told reporters that he saw no difference between Mr. Vance and the former president.

“He’s a Trump clone in some ways,” he added.

Perhaps that is exactly what Trump wants.