James David Vance

Republican junior Senator of Ohio

Senator
Ohio
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2029

202-224-3353

vance.senate.gov

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August 2, 1984 (40 years old)

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American venture capitalist, author, and junior United States senator from Ohio since 2023
Came to prominence with his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”
Studied political science and philosophy at Ohio State University; earned a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School
Served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including during the Iraq War
Worked in the tech industry as a venture capitalist in San Francisco before entering politics
Launched his first political campaign for the Senate in 2021, winning the Republican nomination with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and defeating Democratic nominee Tim Ryan in the general election
Initially a critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 election and a member of the Never Trump movement, he later became a staunch Trump loyalist
Has gained media attention for his response to the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio
Named to three Senate committees: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Special Committee on Aging
Described as a populist conservative
Opposes abortion and has indicated support for a federal ban after 15 weeks, with some openness to state-level legislation
Opposes the Respect for Marriage Act and supports traditional marriage definitions
Proposed making gender-affirming care for minors a federal felony
Shifted from criticizing to supporting Trump’s immigration policies, including the construction of a southern border wall
Critic of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, suggesting concessions to Russia
Supports U.S. funding to Israel and opposes military action against Iran
Blamed “the childless left” for America’s issues and praised policies encouraging families
Expressed concern over large tech companies’ influence and called for antitrust actions against Google and Meta
Voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
Supports protectionist trade policies, including tariffs on China
Downplays the effects of climate change and opposes certain environmental regulations
Initially criticized Donald Trump but later supported him and retracted previous criticisms
Supports collective bargaining but opposes the PRO Act, favoring alternative labor proposals
Married with three children and converted to Catholicism in 2019