What you should know about the Ohio senator running for vice president

He has been a U.S. Senator since January 2023, when he won the race to succeed Senator Rob Portman.

Here's what you need to know about Vance.

Where is JD Vance from?

Vance grew up in Middletown, Ohio and often spent summers with his extended family in Jackson, Kentucky.

How old is JD Vance?

Vance turned 40 on August 2nd. If elected, he would be the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon.

More: JD Vance would be the first Ohio resident to become vice president and is the first to take office in 80 years

Did JD Vance serve in the military?

Vance joined the Marines Corp after high school and served as a public affairs Marine in Iraq.

What is Hillbilly Elegy?

Vance first gained national attention for his bestselling 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” In the book, Vance recounted a tumultuous childhood, his mother's struggle with a substance use disorder and the life-changing influence of his grandmother, whom he called Mamaw.

His broader commentary on the plight of the Rust Belt and Appalachian Mountains became a textbook for pundits trying to understand Donald Trump's popularity among disaffected white Americans.

The book was later made into a film by Ron Howard starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

Watch: Usha Vance introduces husband JD Vance at RNC 2024

Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, delivered a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Who is JD Vance's wife Usha Vance?

Vance married Usha Chilukuri Vance in 2014 after the two met at Yale Law School. She previously worked as a litigator at Munger, Tolles & Olson, but left the firm when her husband secured the vice presidential nomination.

How many children does JD Vance have?

The couple have three young children: Ewan, 7, Vivek, 4 and Mirabel, 2.

Where does JD Vance live?

Vance and his family split their time between Cincinnati and Alexandria, Virginia.

Who is JD Vance's mother?

Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins, was raised in Middletown by Kentucky-born parents along with her brother and sister. She has two children: Vance and his sister Lindsay.

Aikins has been sober for 10 years, something Vance mentions frequently in his stump speeches. She also accompanied him in the election campaign.

“I want people to know that they need to come forward and try to get help, and that recovery is hard but so worth it,” Aikins recently told the New York Times.

2024 Dog Election: Meet JD Vance and Tim Walz's furry friends

JD Vance and Tim Walz may be on different sides, but they have one thing in common: their love of dogs.

What is JD Vance's net worth?

Vance and Usha Vance have a combined net worth of between $3.4 million and $10.2 million, according to his 2023 financial disclosure.

How long has JD Vance been in politics?

Vance was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 after defeating former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan for an open seat in Ohio.

What did JD Vance say about Donald Trump?

Vance didn't always like the former president.

He previously suggested that Trump could be “America's Hitler” and compared him to an opioid – a quick fix that wouldn't actually solve the country's problems. Vance did not vote for Trump in 2016 and joked that he would rather put his dog on the ballot than support him or Hillary Clinton.

“I think I'm going to vote third party because I can't stand Trump,” Vance told NPR. “I think it is harmful and takes the white working class to a very dark place.”

Vance changed his tune as he prepared for his 2022 Senate run, deleting controversial tweets and praising Trump for the work he did in office. He secured Trump's support in a messy Republican Senate primary and is now one of the former president's staunchest allies.

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which covers the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.