Donald Trump bets on JD Vance to get a chance in Midwest
JD Vance is supposed to help Donald Trump win the Midwest this fall. But almost immediately after the Ohio senator was announced as Trump's vice presidential pick on Monday, one thing became clear: Vance, a 39-year-old Republican with less than two years in Congress, is not well-known among many in his party, even in the swing states Trump hopes he'll deliver.
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra offered a blunt response when asked about Trump's pick minutes after it was announced: «We don't know him.»
«If he's from Ohio, he understands our state and the other northern battlegrounds,» Hoekstra said, standing on the floor of the Republican National Convention (RNC). «But we haven't had a chance to take his measure yet.»
Trump's team now has under four months to boost Vance's profile in the states that matter most this fall in his 2020 rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden.
Vance, who quickly developed a reputation as a MAGA firebrand in his short time on Capitol Hill, earned modest applause when he entered the packed venue of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the first time Monday as Trump's running mate. Later in the night, the crowd was more excited as he greeted Trump — who entered the room with a bandage covering his right ear, injured in Saturday's assassination attempt.
According to a CNN poll conducted in late June, just 13% of registered voters said they had a favourable opinion of Vance with 20% an unfavourable one. The majority of voters said they had
