History of JD Vance in Timeline
J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran. He served as the 50th Vice President of the United States under President Donald Trump, and as a U.S. Senator representing Ohio from 2023 to 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party.
August 2, 1984: Birth of James David Vance
On August 2, 1984, James David Vance, originally named James Donald Bowman, was born in Middletown, Ohio.
2003: Joined Marine Corps
In 2003, Vance joined the Marine Corps after high school.
2007: Left the Marine Corps
In 2007, Vance left the Marine Corps after serving as a military journalist.
2007: Began Studies at Ohio State University
In 2007, Vance left the military and began studying political science and philosophy at Ohio State University.
2009: Graduated from Ohio State University
In 2009, Vance graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree.
2010: Wrote for FrumForum
From 2010 to 2011, Vance wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J. D. Hamel.
2011: Met Peter Thiel at Yale
In 2011, Vance initiated a rapport with Peter Thiel after attending his talk at Yale.
2013: Met Usha Chilukuri at Yale Law School
In 2013, J.D. Vance met Usha Chilukuri while they were both students at Yale Law School.
2013: Name change to Vance
In 2013, Vance changed his name to Vance as he was about to graduate from Yale.
2013: Graduated from Yale Law School
In 2013, Vance graduated from Yale Law School with a law degree.
2014: Mentioned Name Change in Hillbilly Elegy
Although Hillbilly Elegy mentions that Vance adopted his grandparents' surname of Vance upon his marriage in 2014, the name change actually occurred in 2013.
2014: Married Usha Chilukuri
In 2014, J.D. Vance and Usha Chilukuri married in Kentucky in an interfaith ceremony, she being Hindu and he Christian. The wedding included a Bible reading by Vance's friend and a blessing by a Hindu pandit.
June 2016: Published "Hillbilly Elegy"
In June 2016, Harper published Vance's book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis."
September 2016: Considering Conversion to Catholicism
In September 2016, J.D. Vance was "not an active participant" in any particular Christian denomination, but was "thinking very seriously about converting to Catholicism".
December 2016: Planned Move to Ohio and Consideration of Nonprofit or Running for Office
In December 2016, Vance announced plans to move to Ohio and consider starting a nonprofit or running for office.
2016: Joined Mithril Capital
Between 2016 and 2017, Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2016: Published "Hillbilly Elegy"
In 2016, Vance's memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy", was published.
2016: Shift in Political Stance
In 2016, after initially opposing Donald Trump's candidacy, Vance became a strong supporter during Trump's presidency.
March 2017: Joined AppHarvest Board of Directors
From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of the startup AppHarvest.
April 2017: Film Version of "Hillbilly Elegy" Announced
In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct the film version of "Hillbilly Elegy".
2017: Principal at Mithril Capital
Between 2016 and 2017, Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2017: "Hillbilly Elegy" on Best Seller List
In 2017, "Hillbilly Elegy" remained on The New York Times Best Seller list.
2017: Formation of Our Ohio Renewal Foundation
In 2017, Vance formed a similarly named 501(c)(3) organization, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation.
2017: Joined Revolution LLC
In 2017, Vance joined Revolution LLC, an investment firm founded by Steve Case, to expand the "Rise of the Rest" initiative.
2017: Started Our Ohio Renewal
In 2017, Vance started Our Ohio Renewal, a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on education, addiction, and other "social ills."
2018: Satel's Residency in Appalachia
In 2018, Sally Satel's yearlong residency in Ohio's Appalachian region, funded by Our Ohio Renewal, occurred.
2018: Considered running for U.S. Senate
In early 2018, Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown but ultimately did not.
August 2019: Baptized and Confirmed in the Catholic Church
In August 2019, J.D. Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church in a ceremony at St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, Ohio. He chose Augustine of Hippo as his confirmation saint and cited intellectual and political alignment as reasons for his conversion.
2019: ProPublica Investigation on Purdue Pharma
A 2019 ProPublica investigation revealed ties between Sally Satel, her employer (AEI), and Purdue Pharma, tainting the charity's biggest accomplishment.
2019: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation not spending funds
As of September 2024, the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.
2019: Co-founded Rockbridge Network and Narya Capital
In 2019, Vance co-founded the conservative political advocacy group Rockbridge Network and venture capital firm Narya Capital.
2019: Served on Board of Advisors for With Honor Fund
In 2019, Vance served on the board of advisors of the With Honor Fund, a Super PAC that helps veterans run for office.
November 11, 2020: Release of "Hillbilly Elegy" Film
On November 11, 2020, the film version of "Hillbilly Elegy" was released in select theaters and on Netflix.
2020: Our Ohio Renewal Operation
By 2020, Our Ohio Renewal was still in operation with the same advisory board members.
2020: Raised Funds for Narya Capital
During 2020, Vance raised $93 million for the venture capital firm Narya Capital.
2020: Joined Board of Advisors of American Moment
From 2020 to 2023, Vance served on the board of advisors of American Moment, a networking and training organization for young conservatives.
2020: "Hillbilly Elegy" film adaptation
In 2020, the film adaptation of Vance's memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy", was released.
February 2021: Advocated for AppHarvest
In February 2021, Vance publicly advocated for AppHarvest, touting its commitment to bringing good jobs to Appalachia.
March 2021: Thiel's donation to Protect Ohio Values PAC
In March 2021, Peter Thiel gave $10 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC created to support a potential Vance candidacy.
April 2021: Departure from AppHarvest Board of Directors
From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of the startup AppHarvest.
July 1, 2021: Announced Senate Campaign
On July 1, 2021, Vance announced his Senate campaign in Ohio.
2021: Closure of Our Ohio Renewal
By 2021, Our Ohio Renewal had closed with sparse achievements.
May 3, 2022: Won Republican Primary
On May 3, 2022, Vance won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote.
2022: Criticism of Our Ohio Renewal During Senate Campaign
During Vance's 2022 campaign for U.S. Senate, Tim Ryan criticized Our Ohio Renewal, calling it a front for Vance's political ambitions.
2022: Won Ohio Senate Election
In 2022, Vance won the United States Senate election in Ohio, defeating Tim Ryan.
January 3, 2023: Sworn into the Senate
On January 3, 2023, Vance was sworn into the Senate as a member of the 118th United States Congress.
January 2023: Began Serving as Ohio Senator
In January 2023, Vance began serving as Ohio's senator.
January 31, 2023: Vance Endorses Donald Trump
On January 31, 2023, J.D. Vance publicly endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
June 2023: Voted Against Raising the Debt Ceiling
In June 2023, Vance voted against raising the debt ceiling, opposing the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
July 2023: Introduced legislation on gender-affirming care
In July 2023, Vance and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced legislation that would have made gender-affirming care for minors a federal crime.
2023: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation funding
From 2017 to 2023, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation raised around $69,000.
2023: Continued serving on Board of Advisors of American Moment
From 2020 to 2023, Vance served on the board of advisors of American Moment, a networking and training organization for young conservatives.
2023: AppHarvest Bankruptcy
In 2023, AppHarvest went bankrupt while owing over $340 million.
2023: Served as Ohio Senator
In 2023, Vance began serving as a U.S. Senator representing Ohio.
May 15, 2024: Fundraising Dinner with Trump
On May 15, 2024, Donald Trump attended a $50,000 per head private fundraising dinner with J.D. Vance in Cincinnati, with guests including Chris Bortz and Republican fundraiser Nate Morris.
June 2024: Sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act
In June 2024, Vance sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act, which would ban federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
July 15, 2024: Trump Chooses Vance as Running Mate
On July 15, 2024, the first day of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he had chosen J.D. Vance as his running mate for the upcoming election.
July 2024: Senate Performance Data
Data from mid-July 2024 showed that Vance had made 45 Senate speeches and sponsored 57 legislative bills, none of which had passed the Senate.
July 2024: Selected as Trump's Running Mate
In July 2024, Donald Trump selected Vance as his running mate for the presidential election.
July 2024: Concerns About Vance as Running Mate
In July 2024, a CNN poll analysis after the Republican National Convention showed a net-negative approval rating for J.D. Vance, leading some to question his suitability as a running mate.
July 2024: Vance comments on Harris' Candidacy
In July 2024, after President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy and Kamala Harris became a presidential candidate, J.D. Vance stated at a private fundraiser that Kamala Harris did not have the same baggage as Joe Biden and that the political calculus remains the same whether it is Harris or Biden as the Democratic nominee.
July 26, 2024: Vance Clarifies Remarks on "Childless Cat Ladies"
On July 26, 2024, J.D. Vance clarified his previous remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show regarding "childless cat ladies", stating that it wasn't a criticism of people who don't have children, but rather a criticism of the Democratic Party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.
August 2024: Vance on Trump's Veto of Abortion Ban
In August 2024, J.D. Vance stated that Donald Trump explicitly said he would veto a national abortion ban.
August 2024: Vance Criticizes Kamala Harris and Downplays VP Role
In August 2024, following previous criticisms of his remarks, J.D. Vance said that a vice president doesn't really matter and that Kamala Harris has been a bad vice president. Later in August 2024, after the Trump campaign faced controversy at Arlington National Cemetery, Vance attacked Harris, saying "she can go to hell".
August 2024: Vance Supports Increased Child Tax Credit
In an August 2024 interview on Face the Nation, J.D. Vance voiced his support for increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child.
September 2024: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation not spending funds
As of September 2024, the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation had not spent any funds since 2019.
September 2024: Vance Alleges Haitian Immigrants Causing Chaos
In September 2024, J.D. Vance alleged that Haitian illegal immigrants are draining social services and causing chaos in Springfield, Ohio, including reports of pets being abducted and eaten, which local authorities have stated there are no credible reports of such incidents.
September 2024: Vance Speaks at Town Hall Event Organized by Lance Wallnau
In September 2024, J.D. Vance spoke at a western Pennsylvania town hall event organized by Lance Wallnau, who has promoted election denialism and called Kamala Harris a demon.
September 2024: Trump Contradicts Vance on Abortion Ban Veto
In September 2024, during his debate with Kamala Harris, when asked about J.D. Vance's statement regarding the veto of a national abortion ban, Donald Trump responded that he did not discuss it with J.D. and that he thinks J.D. was speaking for him, but he really didn't.
October 1, 2024: Vice Presidential Debate
On October 1, 2024, the vice presidential debate was held at 9:00 p.m. EDT at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
October 2024: Vance Claims Election Rigging by Big Tech
In October 2024, J.D. Vance stated that he did not believe Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election and claimed that Big Tech rigged the election through censorship.
January 10, 2025: Resigned from Senate
At midnight on January 10, 2025, Vance resigned from the Senate.
January 2025: End of Term as Ohio Senator
In January 2025, Vance's term as Ohio Senator ended.
January 20, 2025: Inauguration as Vice President
On January 20, 2025, Vance's inauguration as the 50th Vice President of the United States is anticipated.
February 2025: Vance on Judges' Power
In February 2025, after multiple federal judges issued temporary rulings against various Trump administration actions, J.D. Vance wrote, "judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power".
February 2025: Vance's Security Concerns
In his February 2025 speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC), J.D. Vance called "the threat from within" his biggest concern in terms of security for Europe, "not Russia, not China".
February 20, 2025: Vance's Favorability Rating
As of February 20, 2025, according to FiveThirtyEight, J.D. Vance's overall favorability rating was 40.7%, and his unfavorability rating was 42.5%.
February 28, 2025: Vance and Trump Meet with Zelenskyy
On February 28, 2025, J.D. Vance and Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House's Oval Office during an internationally broadcast event, where Vance advocated for diplomacy with Russia.
2025: Part of Project 2025
American Moment, where Vance served on the board of advisors, is affiliated with Project 2025.
2025: End of Senate Term
In 2025, Vance's term as a U.S. Senator for Ohio concluded.
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