There was a human crush on the floor of the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee when Donald Trump’s brand-new running mate arrived. Television cameras, reporters, and random delegates all pressed together in a human swell barely held back by security to see J.D. Vance in person.
Accompanied by his wife, Usha, the freshman Ohio senator stepped toward the microphone at the front of his state’s delegation. Once there, his eyes watered as he listened to Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted’s speech nominating him from the dais, swelling with excitement and awkwardness as he heard himself praised. Bernie Moreno, the Republican running for Senate in their home state against incumbent Sherrod Brown, formally nominated Vance by reading off a notecard held by his daughter Emily. The chair asked for the “yays,” which were loud, then asked if anyone was opposed.
Vance held his hand to his ear, waiting to see if anyone would say anything.
After a brief silence, followed by a quick smile, he was officially the vice-presidential nominee. Moreno and Vance first shook hands then and, seemingly at Vance’s instigation, hugged.
Vance, who at 39 is the youngest vice-presidential nominee since Richard Nixon, took in the applause and slowly adjusted to what it meant to be this much in the public eye. He has been a senator for two years and a best-selling author and TV pundit before that, but that’s nothing compared to being on a ticket with Donald Trump. He turned to try to kiss Usha, and they seemed unsure what to do. She leaned in for a kiss on the lips, but he gave her a peck on the cheek instead under the watchful eye of the cameras. It was probably the first time they had kissed on national television.
Vance’s selection was the culmination of a classic reality-show-style process for Trump, who teased out the choice for as long as possible. First, the public learned that Florida senator Marco Rubio was not picked. Then North Dakota governor Doug Burgum was eliminated. There was a brief moment filled with rumors and speculation until the inevitable became official.
Republicans seemed ready to celebrate the selection no matter who it was.
Rufus Montgomery, a Georgia delegate, was one member of the crowd who had gathered close to Vance to take in the moment. “I’m very excited about our nominee, period. We are very excited about our vice-presidential nominee.” Montgomery praised Vance copiously, but “whoever [Trump] picks is whoever he feels is going to get him over the hump, so we’re all in.”
Matt Gorman, a longtime Republican operative, said it was a “tremendous” move picking Vance. “He brings a youthful energy to the ticket, along with the ability to take the message anywhere. It also shows the importance of the Rust Belt. I think it’s great that in today’s day and age, we have a veteran again as a presidential or VP nominee,” he said, referring to Vance’s service in the Marines.
Democrats were excited too, celebrating the pick as giving them new opportunities to attack Trump and tie him to Project 2025, the right-wing wish list for a second term that Democrats have already turned into a central line of attack. “J.D. Vance is Project 2025 personified,” cheered Biden campaign spokesman James Singer.
