Trump picks Ohio senator JD Vance as his running mate

Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance, a Republican U.S. senator from Ohio, as his running mate on Monday, elevating a politician who once criticized him in harsh terms but has since become one of his most loyal defenders.

The announcement was made on Trump's Truth Social media platform at the start of the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the party will nominate its presidential ticket.

"After 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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The selection of James David Vance, author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," could boost turnout among Trump supporters in the Nov. 5 election, as the Ohio native is deeply popular with the Republican base.

A staunch conservative from a Republican state, Vance is unlikely to attract many new voters to Trump’s side and may even alienate some moderates. Some Trump supporters had urged him to select a woman or person of color as his running mate to broaden a base that skews toward white men.

The former president, 78, survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally on Saturday by a gunman whose motive remains unknown.

Several of Trump's highest-profile backers — including former senior adviser Steve Bannon and Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. — have praised Vance for advocating a more hands-off foreign policy approach and supporting trade barriers.

Vance has also pleased Trump supporters with his confrontational social media presence, a relative rarity in the Senate, where many lawmakers still try to maintain a sense of decorum and civility.

At 39, Vance will represent a younger generation in an election that features Trump and President Joe Biden, 81, bringing a counterbalance to the Democratic ticket that also includes Vice President Kamala Harris, 59.

In selecting Vance, Trump passed over other possible contenders, including U.S. senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.