COLUMBIA, S.C. — After what seemed like months of speculation and second-guessing, former president Donald Trump made it official Monday afternoon, naming Ohio Senator JD Vance as his pick for Vice -President.
The 39-year-old , a married father of three and a native of Ohio who has served in the U.S. Senate since January of 2023.
Vance was a combat correspondent in the U.S. Marine Corps and attended both Ohio State University and Yale School of Law.
University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett said that Vance’s blue-collar upbringing may appeal to many voters in crucial battleground states.
"I think that that sends a signal that Trump was looking for somebody that could speak to blue-collar workers throughout the Midwest, in those critical battleground states, but certainly Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania Those are all battlegrounds so perhaps the idea is that JD Vance could help him in those areas,” Jewett said.
As Republicans cheered the decision, reaction from South Carolina Democrats was one of suspicion, including the chair of the state Democratic Party, Christale Spain, who said Vance is fierce election denier.
"I’m not surprised that he (Trump) selected JD Vance because he was looking for someone who’s going to do his bidding and JD Vance is that person. He’s already said that he would do exactly what Mike Pence didn’t do on January 6th,” Spain said.
Now that Trump-Vance ticket has finally taken shape, Jewett said the focus shifts back to Saturday’s assassination attempt and how each campaign now moves forward.
"From both sides we’re going to see a little time-out, a little bit of call for more unity, a little less bombast, a little less harsh personal attacks. But within a month or so, I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t get back to the way it’s been for very many months now,” Jewett said.
South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott addressed the shooting while speaking to the crowd at the Republican National Convention Monday evening.
“The devil came to Pennsylvania, holding a rifle, but an American lion got back up on his feet, and he roared,” Scott said to raucous cheers.
And the now-infamous photo of Trump, just moments after an assassin’s bullet nicked his right ear: is there any concern that the image will serve to further stoke the flames of division? Jewett said Trump's campaign is already sending out the image with their fundraising messages.
“I think that they will use that to their best advantage, and they will use it a lot. Using that picture and that image to suggest that Trump is a fighter, that they don’t want republicans to back down, that they’re going to move forward," he said.
The Republican National Convention runs through Thursday.
After rescheduling several appearances, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to be back on the campaign trail later this week.