Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance has the backing of Trump’s former presidential primary rival Vivek Ramaswamy.
Recalling his law school days, Indian-American entrepreneur Sri Ramaswami expressed how impressed he was that his “classmate” J.D. Vance had been selected to be on the “strongest presidential ticket.”
Mr. Ramaswami said, “I am so proud of my friend, classmate and fellow Southwest Ohioan. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, and it’s amazing that here we are a decade later and JD has become one of the strongest presidential candidates in our lifetimes.”
“He will be an outstanding vice president and I look forward to everything that lies ahead for him and our country,” Mr Ramaswamy said, adding that he had earlier withdrawn from the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses.
Today I am so proud of my friend, classmate, and fellow Southwest Ohioan. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, and it’s amazing that here we are a decade later, with JD leading the strongest presidential ticket in our lifetime. He will be a great Vice President, and I…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 15, 2024
Donald Trump won the formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate on Monday and picked a right-wing loyalist to run for his running mate, kicking off a triumphant party convention in the wake of a failed assassination attempt over the weekend.
A White House candidate often chooses a vice presidential running mate who can appeal to new categories of voters or compensate for acknowledged weaknesses in image or policy.
Even though his 80-year-old rival Joe Biden appears to suffer from his age, Trump knows that at 78 he is no youngster.
By choosing Mr Vance, who at 39 is barely half Trump’s age — and the first young man to lead a major US party’s presidential ticket — he could neutralise the relatively youthful edge of Biden’s vice-presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, 59.
Mr Vance, once a staunch Trump opponent, has made a U-turn and established himself as one of the billionaire Trump’s most ardent supporters.
He has deleted his previous tweets criticizing Trump and replaced them with a passionate embrace of his views, advocating a fierce anti-immigration fight and uncompromising economic protectionism.
Vance’s 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” was praised by some for its depiction of the lives and troubles of the white working class and their support for Trump.
(With agency inputs)
