Republican JD Vance journeys from 'Hillbilly Elegy' memoirist to US senator to VP contender

“Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance sharply criticized Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle, before changing course and embracing the former president. Vance rode a Trump endorsement to a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2022. He's now one of Trump's fiercest allies and defenders — and among those short-listed to be Trump's vice presidential pick. Democrats criticize Vance for supporting severe abortion restrictions and saying he wouldn't have certified the 2020 election. They say a Trump-Vance ticket “would sink the GOP into new depths of extremism.” Conservatives say Vance is a steady, principled and thoughtful leader.