What to Know About JD Vance, Trump's 'Anti-Gen Z' VP Pick

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JD Vance will run as the Vice Presidential nominee on the Republican 2024 ticket this year. During the Republican National Convention taking place in Milwaukee July 15-18, Donald Trump formally announced his running mate.

“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 said in a lengthy post on Truth Social. "During the Campaign, [he] 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….”

It's no surprise that the pick isn't former Vice President Mike Pence. Not only did Pence run against Trump in the primaries, the two parted ways completely after Pence refused to overturn the 2020 election results in Trump's favor. Worse, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson alleged that Trump used the word “deserved” when calls for “Hang Mike Pence!” were being chanted during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

This pick was expected, as Vance became a top Trump ally after the former President endorsed his 2022 run for Senate in Ohio. Vance is in line with Trump's stance on many of the issues impacting Gen Z and young people. Here, we break down what you need to know about Vance from his views on abortion, climate change, guns, LGBTQ issues and more.

Who is JD Vance?

JD Vance, 39, is from a Jackson, Kentucky and Middletown, Ohio. In 2016 he released a memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which was both lauded and criticized for the portrayal of conservative white working class people in Appalachia. The book later became a film directed by Ron Howard.

Vance is currently the junior Republican Senator from Ohio, a seat he won in 2022, beating out then-incumbent Tim Ryan.

What has Vance said about Trump?

Vance was publicly critical of Trump until 2022 when Trump endorsed him during his Senate election. In 2016, Vance told Charlie Rose, “I’m a never-Trump guy, I never liked him.” According to Reuters, he later compared him to Hitler in a private Facebook message. “I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole like Nixon who wouldn't be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he's America's Hitler,” he said.

Where does Vance stand on abortion?

Vance has publicly opposed abortion except for “reasonable exceptions,” even in the case of incest or rape. While he's recently said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet The Press" that he agreed with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mifepristone, he's also aligned with Trump on putting abortion rights to the states. “I am as pro life as anyone, and I want to save as many babies as possible,” he wrote on X in 2023.

In reference to policies on abortion, he also said that Democrats are “a bunch of childless cat ladies” who “want to make the rest of the country miserable too."

Where does Vance stand on LGBTQ rights?

He's against same-sex marriage and has said he will not support any legislation codifying it.

Vance also introduced the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” legislation that GLAAD highlights misrepresents transgender healthcare.

What's Vance's record on other issues impacting Gen Z?

Voters of Tomorrow described many on Vance's policy stances as anti-Gen Z, citing his record on guns, climate change and election security.

Climate Change

In terms of the Climate Crisis, Vance agreed when an interviewer denied its existence saying, “No, I don’t think there is, either.”

According to The New York Times, he has repeatedly claimed skeptism of human involvement in the crisis, and defended oil companies. “They think climate change is caused by carbon emissions, then why is their solution to scream about it at the top of their lungs, send a ton of our jobs to China, and then manufacture these ridiculous ugly windmills all over Ohio farms that don’t produce enough electricity to run a cellphone on?,” he said.

Gun Safety

In a statement to reporters on bump stock bans, Vance said, “I think that we have to ask ourselves: What is the real gun violence problem in this country, and are we legislating in a way that solves fake problems? Or solves real problems?”

Election Security

Vance has said he would have overturned the election for Trump had he been VP in 2020. He has also fundraised for the people who rioted on January 6 2021.

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This story has been updated.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue