Sen. JD Vance is set to make his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee on Wednesday, the third night of the Republican National Convention, with the night expected to focus on foreign policy.
Vance’s speech, the final one of the night, will be eagerly watched by Republicans, given his recent breakout on the national scene. He is only 39 years old and was only first elected to the Senate in 2022. His 2016 book, “Hillbilly Elegy,” shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list this week when former President Donald Trump announced his selection.
Vance’s worldview, expressed through his Senate votes and speeches, has come into focus since his selection. In May, he told “Face the Nation” that the U.S. “could learn from” some of far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s controversial policies, including how to eliminate what he views as a left-wing bias at American universities. And at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, Vance said it wouldn’t be realistic for the U.S. to continue providing the same level of assistance to Ukraine moving forward.
The Republican National Convention is occurring amid one of the most dramatic weeks in politics in history. President Biden continues to face calls to step aside for the Democratic nomination in May, with Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff of California — a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — becoming the most prominent member of the Senate to call for Mr. Biden to step aside.
Additionally, both campaigns are reeling after Saturday’s assassination attempt of Trump. A bullet grazed his ear — described by Eric Trump as a “flesh wound” — and a sniper took out the gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man. The shooter’s motive remains unclear days after the shooting. A bystander was also killed, and two other people who were shot are now in stable condition after being critical for days.
Trump made his first public appearance since the assassination attempt on Monday, the first night of the RNC.
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