DURHAM, N.H. – Michigan’s Democratic Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, asserts that Republican vice presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance from Ohio, has undergone significant changes.
The Trump campaign, confident in Vance’s working-class background, believes he will boost their chances in key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which have traditionally been part of the Democrats’ blue wall.
When asked by Fox News if she concurred with the Trump campaign’s stance on Vance, Whitmer remarked, “If we were talking about the JD Vance who penned Hillbilly Elegy, perhaps. But now he is a completely different individual—a person who has utterly forsaken the principles of that book and transformed into merely a mirror of Donald Trump.”
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Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee, gives his acceptance speech during the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Even more troubling than just reflecting Donald Trump,” Whitmer continued, “is that kind of leadership, which won’t resonate with the voters. Therefore, we must ensure that people understand his true character.”
In response, Vance told Fox News, “Career politicians like Gretchen Whitmer can claim whatever they wish about me, but my commitment will always be to prioritize American workers and families because I’ll never forget my roots.”
“It’s representatives like her who endorse the radical Kamala-Biden agenda that leaves our southern border unsecured, hampers American energy production, jeopardizes the automobile industry with electric vehicle regulations, and exacerbates living costs through inflationary measures—all while forgetting the constituents she’s meant to represent,” Vance asserted.
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Vance gained national prominence a few years back with his book “Hillbilly Elegy,” chronicling his upbringing in a struggling Ohio steel town and his Appalachian Kentucky roots. The book became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a Netflix film, illuminating the values and experiences of many working-class Americans who resonated with Trump’s policies.
Vance’s parents divorced during his childhood, and he was notably influenced by his maternal grandparents, as his mother battled substance abuse issues for years.
After finishing high school, Vance enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Iraq War. He subsequently graduated from Ohio State University and earned his law degree at Yale University before briefly working in a venture capital firm in San Francisco. He later returned to Ohio to pursue a Senate seat in 2022.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, applauds as Senate candidate J.D. Vance gestures on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention, held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)
Initially critical of Trump during the 2016 campaign, Vance later came to support the former president, praising Trump’s time in office and even apologizing for his previous criticisms in a 2021 Fox News interview.
Trump’s endorsement significantly bolstered Vance’s candidacy in the 2022 GOP Senate primary, leading him to victory amidst fierce competition. Following his election to the Senate, Vance emerged as a prominent advocate for Trump’s America First agenda and became a notable supporter of the former president’s MAGA movement.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer campaigned for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a house party in Durham, New Hampshire, on July 25, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
During her visit to Durham, a pivotal New Hampshire city, Whitmer emphasized the importance of the campaign, attending a house party to support Vice President Harris, the newly designated presumptive nominee after President Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
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President Biden made headlines on Sunday by announcing he would not seek re-election and would endorse Kamala Harris, following intense pressure within the Democratic Party stemming from his poor performance in the previous month’s presidential debate against Trump.
Biden’s endorsement of Harris sparked a wave of support from Democratic leaders, resulting in Harris securing the backing of a majority of the nearly 4,000 delegates for the upcoming Democratic National Convention. By Monday night, her campaign highlighted that she had raised an impressive $129 million since Biden’s announcement.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer engages with Democratic supporters at a house party in Durham, New Hampshire, to support Kamala Harris on July 25, 2024. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
Expressing her appreciation, Whitmer stated, “I was privileged to co-chair the Biden campaign, and now I am just as honored to co-chair the Harris campaign,” receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience of a few hundred.
No Republican has won New Hampshire in the past 24 years, but emerging polls indicate a nearly tied contest between Biden and Trump.
However, two recent surveys from the state reveal Harris leading by a small margin over Trump.
Stay informed with the latest updates from the 2024 campaign, exclusive interviews, and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
