History of JD Vance in Timeline
James David Vance is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran. He is currently serving as the 50th vice president of the United States since 2025 under President Donald Trump. Previously, as a member of the Republican Party, he represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2025.
August 2, 1984: Born in Middletown, Ohio
On August 2, 1984, James Donald Bowman, now known as J.D. Vance, was born in Middletown, Ohio.
August 2, 1984: James David Vance Born
On August 2, 1984, James David Vance, originally named James Donald Bowman, was born.
2003: Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
In 2003, Vance enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from Middletown High School.
2003: Joined the Marine Corps
In 2003, Vance joined the Marine Corps after high school, serving as a military journalist.
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 used the G.I. Bill to begin 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 of Arts degree, summa cum laude.
2010: Wrote for FrumForum
From 2010 to 2011, Vance wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J.D. Hamel.
2011: Wrote for FrumForum
From 2010 to 2011, Vance wrote for David Frum's "FrumForum" website under the name J.D. Hamel.
2013: Name Change and Graduation from Yale
In 2013, Vance changed his name to Vance and graduated from Yale with a Juris Doctor degree.
2013: Graduated from Yale Law School
In 2013, Vance graduated from Yale Law School with a law degree.
2013: Meeting Usha Chilukuri
In 2013, Vance met Usha Chilukuri while both were students at Yale Law School.
2014: Name Change (Incorrectly Stated in Hillbilly Elegy)
Although Hillbilly Elegy states that Vance adopted his grandparents' surname of Vance upon his marriage in 2014, the name change actually occurred in 2013.
2014: Marriage to Usha Chilukuri
In 2014, Vance married Usha Chilukuri in Kentucky, in an interfaith marriage ceremony.
2014: Exposure of Communications
In July 2024, a former friend from Yale Law School exposed communications between them and Vance from 2014 to 2017.
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
By September 2016, 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 Considered Nonprofit/Office
In December 2016, Vance stated plans to move to Ohio and considered starting a nonprofit or running for office.
2016: Served as Principal at Mithril Capital
Between 2016 and 2017, Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2016: Initially Opposed Trump, Later Became Supporter
In 2016, Vance initially opposed Donald Trump's candidacy before becoming a strong supporter during Trump's presidency.
2016: Hillbilly Elegy Published
In 2016, Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, was published.
2016: Comparison to Pence's rating as Trump's running mate
In September 2024, a Gallup poll indicated that Vance's ratings were comparable to those of Mike Pence as Trump's running mate in 2016.
March 2017: Vance Joins AppHarvest Board
In March 2017, Vance joined the board of directors of AppHarvest, a startup focused on indoor vertical farming in Kentucky.
April 2017: Ron Howard Signed to Direct Hillbilly Elegy Film
In April 2017, Ron Howard signed on to direct the film version of Hillbilly Elegy.
2017: Served as Principal at Mithril Capital
Between 2016 and 2017, Vance served as a principal at Peter Thiel's firm, Mithril Capital.
2017: Hillbilly Elegy on Bestseller List
In 2017, Hillbilly Elegy continued to be on The New York Times Best Seller list.
2017: Our Ohio Renewal Raised $221,000
In 2017, Our Ohio Renewal raised around $221,000, including $80,000 from Vance himself, and spent the majority of its revenue on overhead costs and travel.
2017: Formation of Our Ohio Renewal Foundation
In 2017, Vance formed Our Ohio Renewal Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation raised approximately $69,000 between 2017 and 2023.
2017: Joined Revolution LLC
In 2017, Vance joined Revolution LLC to expand the "Rise of the Rest" initiative.
2017: Exposure of Communications
In July 2024, a former friend from Yale Law School exposed communications between them and Vance from 2014 to 2017.
2018: Our Ohio Renewal's Appalachia Residency
In 2018, Our Ohio Renewal's biggest accomplishment was sending psychiatrist Sally Satel to Ohio's Appalachian region for a yearlong residency.
2018: Considered Senate Run
In early 2018, Vance considered running for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown but ultimately did not.
August 2019: Baptism and Confirmation in the Catholic Church
In August 2019, Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church in a ceremony at St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2019: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation's Spending Halt
As of September 2024, it was noted that 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 the Board of Advisors of With Honor Fund
In 2019, Vance served on the board of advisors of the With Honor Fund.
2019: ProPublica Investigation of Appalachia Residency
In 2019, a ProPublica investigation found that the Appalachia residency was "tainted" by the ties among Sally Satel, her employer, American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and Purdue Pharma.
November 11, 2020: Hillbilly Elegy Film Released
On November 11, 2020, the film version of Hillbilly Elegy was released in select theaters and on Netflix.
2020: Our Ohio Renewal Advisory Board Remained Consistent
According to a 2020 capture of Our Ohio Renewal's website, the advisory board members remained in their positions throughout the organization's existence.
2020: Raised $93 Million for Narya Capital
During 2020, Vance raised $93 million for the venture capital firm Narya Capital.
2020: Served on the Board of Advisors of American Moment
From 2020 to 2023, Vance served on the board of advisors of American Moment.
2020: Hillbilly Elegy Film Adaptation
In 2020, the film adaptation of Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, was released.
2020: Vance claims being childless makes people sociopathic
In a 2020 podcast interview, JD Vance stated that being childless "makes people more sociopathic and ultimately our whole country a little bit less, less mentally stable".
February 2021: Vance Publicly Advocates for AppHarvest
In February 2021, Vance publicly advocated for AppHarvest, promoting its commitment to bringing jobs with healthcare to an economically depressed area of Appalachia.
March 2021: Thiel's Donation to Protect Ohio Values PAC
In March 2021, Peter Thiel donated $10 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC created to support a potential Vance candidacy.
March 2021: Vance suggests taxing childless people at a higher rate
In a March 2021 interview on The Charlie Kirk Show, JD Vance suggested that childless people should be taxed at a higher rate than those with children.
April 2021: Vance's Tenure on AppHarvest Board Ends
From March 2017 to April 2021, Vance served on the board of directors of the startup AppHarvest.
July 1, 2021: Announces Senate Campaign
On July 1, 2021, Vance formally announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in Ohio.
2021: Our Ohio Renewal Closed
By 2021, Our Ohio Renewal closed with sparse achievements, attributed to its director of law and policy's cancer diagnosis.
2021: Vance criticized for comments about "childless cat ladies"
In 2021, JD Vance made controversial comments in a Fox News interview, stating that the country was being run by "childless cat ladies".
2021: Introduction to Trump
In 2021, Peter Thiel introduced Donald Trump to J.D. Vance.
May 3, 2022: Wins Republican Primary
On May 3, 2022, Vance won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Ohio with 32% of the vote.
2022: Sacks' Donation to Vance's Senate Campaign
In 2022, David Sacks donated $900,000 to a super PAC supporting Vance's Senate campaign, and Peter Thiel added $15 million.
2022: Won U.S. Senate Election in Ohio
In 2022, Vance won the United States Senate election in Ohio, defeating Tim Ryan.
2022: Criticism of Our Ohio Renewal Charity
In 2022, during Vance's U.S. Senate campaign, Tim Ryan criticized Vance's charity, Our Ohio Renewal, as being a front for political ambitions due to its spending on management services and political advising rather than opioid abuse programs.
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 31, 2023: Endorses Donald Trump
On January 31, 2023, Vance endorsed former president Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
June 2023: Vote Against Debt Ceiling Increase
In June 2023, Vance voted against raising the debt ceiling, opposing the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, citing concerns about military strength against China.
July 2023: 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, punishable by up to 12 years in prison.
2023: Our Ohio Renewal Foundation's Fundraising
From 2017 to 2023, Our Ohio Renewal Foundation raised about $69,000.
2023: Served on the Board of Advisors of American Moment
From 2020 to 2023, Vance served on the board of advisors of American Moment.
2023: AppHarvest Bankruptcy
In 2023, AppHarvest went bankrupt while owing over $340 million, leading to criticism of Vance and other board members.
2023: Represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate
In 2023, Vance began representing Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
May 15, 2024: Fundraising Dinner with Trump
On May 15, 2024, Trump attended a fundraising dinner with Vance in Cincinnati, with guests including Chris Bortz and Nate Morris.
June 2024: Sponsors Dismantle DEI Act
In June 2024, Vance sponsored the Dismantle DEI Act, aiming to ban federal diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and funding.
July 15, 2024: Chosen as Trump's Running Mate
On July 15, 2024, Trump announced Vance as his running mate for the presidential election.
July 2024: Senate Performance Data
Data from mid-July 2024 indicated Vance made 45 Senate speeches and sponsored 57 legislative bills, none of which 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: Vance's net-negative approval rating after Republican National Convention
In July 2024, following the Republican National Convention, a CNN poll analysis revealed a net-negative approval rating for JD Vance, leading to concerns about his selection as a running mate.
July 2024: Vance comments on Harris after Biden withdraws from election
In late July 2024, after Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, JD Vance commented on Kamala Harris's capabilities as a candidate, stating she didn't have the same baggage as Biden. Vance also told the media that Harris's nomination wouldn't change the political calculus.
July 26, 2024: Vance clarifies remarks about childless women
On July 26, 2024, JD Vance clarified his previous remarks about childless women on The Megyn Kelly Show, saying his criticism was aimed at the Democratic Party's anti-family stance, not at individuals without children.
August 2024: Poll highlights Vance's relative anonymity and low favorability
An August 2024 Associated Press-NORC poll showed that JD Vance remained relatively unknown to many U.S. adults, with a low favorability rating compared to his counterpart.
August 2024: Vance claims Trump would veto national abortion ban
In August 2024, JD Vance stated that Donald Trump had explicitly said he would veto a national abortion ban if it came to his desk.
August 2024: Vance claims VP doesn't matter and Harris is "bad"
In August 2024, JD Vance stated that a Vice President "doesn't really matter" and that Kamala Harris had been a "bad Vice President". He also initially said that Harris "can go to hell" for allegedly criticizing Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery, though she had not publicly commented on it at that time.
August 2024: Vance supports increasing child tax credit
In August 2024, JD Vance voiced his support for increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 to $5,000 per child, despite his Republican colleagues blocking an expanded credit two weeks earlier.
August 2024: Backtracking on Voting Power Suggestion
In August 2024, Vance backtracked from his suggestion that parents should have more voting power than non-parents.
September 2024: Status of Our Ohio Renewal Foundation
As of September 2024, it was observed that Our Ohio Renewal Foundation hadn't spent any funds since 2019.
September 2024: Vance alleges Haitian immigrants are causing chaos and eating pets
In September 2024, JD Vance made unverified allegations about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, claiming they were draining social services, causing chaos, and even abducting and eating pets. These claims were later disputed by authorities.
September 2024: Gallup poll shows Vance's rating among registered voters
In September 2024, a Gallup poll showed that 41% of registered voters rated Vance as either an "excellent" or a "pretty good" choice versus 46% for Walz.
September 2024: Trump seemingly contradicts Vance's abortion ban veto claim.
In September 2024, during a debate with Kamala Harris, Donald Trump seemingly contradicted JD Vance's prior statement about vetoing a national abortion ban, stating that he did not discuss it with Vance but that Vance was 'speaking for me'.
September 2024: Vance speaks at event organized by election denialist
In late September 2024, JD Vance spoke at a town hall event in western Pennsylvania organized by Lance Wallnau, known for promoting election denialism and controversial statements about Kamala Harris.
October 1, 2024: Vice Presidential Debate held
On October 1, 2024, the Vice Presidential Debate was held at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
October 2024: Vance's favorability increases after vice-presidential debate
After the October 2024 vice-presidential debate, polling showed an increase in JD Vance's favorability among likely voters who watched the debate, along with a decrease in his unfavorability.
October 2024: Vance claims the 2020 election was "rigged"
In October 2024, JD Vance stated that he did not believe Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, claiming that "Big Tech rigged the election" through censorship.
December 2024: Vance's overall favorability rating in December
According to FiveThirtyEight, as of December 2024, JD Vance's overall favorability was 39.7% and his unfavorability was 42.6%.
January 10, 2025: Resignation from Senate
On January 10, 2025, Vance resigned from the Senate in anticipation of his inauguration as the 50th Vice President of the United States.
January 2025: Resigned from Senate to Assume Vice Presidency
In January 2025, Vance resigned from his position as Ohio's senator to prepare to assume the vice presidency.
January 20, 2025: Inauguration as Vice President
On January 20, 2025, Vance was inaugurated as the 50th vice president of the United States.
February 2025: Remarks on Judicial Power
In February 2025, after multiple federal judges issued temporary rulings against various Trump administration actions, Vance stated that "judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power."
2025: Affiliation with Project 2025
From 2020 to 2023, he served on the board of advisors of American Moment, a networking and training organization for young conservatives that is affiliated with Project 2025.
2025: Lobbying for Vance as VP
In 2025, Trump's eldest sons and several media figures lobbied for Trump to choose Vance as his running mate.
2025: Became Vice President of the United States
In 2025, Vance became the 50th Vice President of the United States under President Donald Trump.
