James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August 2, 1984), commonly known as J.D. Vance, is an American politician, author, and venture capitalist. He is the Vice President-elect of the United States as of 2024, having been the Republican vice presidential nominee for the 2024 election alongside Donald Trump. He previously began serving as the junior U.S. senator from Ohio in 2023. He is best known for his memoir Hillbilly Elegy and is a rising Republican figure with growing influence in conservative circles, aligned with the populist wing of the party and the MAGA movement. He is noted for his shift toward isolationist and America First foreign policy views. He has ties to the tech sector through his venture capital firm Narya Capital and was mentored by Peter Thiel.