Former President Donald Trump’s selection Monday of U.S. Sen. JD Vance as his vice presidential pick drew supportive reactions from Republicans in Georgia, most of whom were already faithful to his campaign.
Longtime supporters praised the choice of Vance, a 39-year-old known for his 2016 book “Hillbilly Elegy,” to serve as his running mate. Although the first-term senator from Ohio was an outspoken critic of Trump’s during his first presidential run, Vance has since become an eager defender.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he was “FIRED UP to support the Trump/Vance ticket.”
“U.S. Sen. Vance is an America First patriot with a tremendous story that will resonate with millions of Americans, including those in the Rust Belt. The momentum behind President Trump is real and growing,” Jones wrote.
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, posted on X a photo of himself and Vance and captioned it, “WE ARE SO BACK!”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, wrote on X that she can’t wait to vote for Trump and “my friend” Vance. “I’m so happy he’s on the ticket,” she said.
Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler wrote, on X, “This is the strongest presidential ticket of our lifetime.”
Predictably, Democrats were dismayed at the announcement of Vance.
State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, said Trump chose the “most aggressive and most accusatory of all the possible choices he had.”
She also called out Vance’s response following the attempted assassination of Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania. Vance wrote on X that rhetoric from President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign “led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Investigators have said they are still searching for a motive in the attack.
“Vance’s statement over the weekend to blame Democrats for the attempted assassination is indicative of who he is,” Oliver said. “Despite the fact that he’s very smart and very gifted, he is malleable on his principles and strategically postured himself to be primary protector of former President Trump in the last few months. His strategy paid off today.”
State Sen. Josh McLaurin, who shared a room with Vance during his time at Yale Law School, said on X that Vance is a “sellout” as well as “angry and vindictive.”
“The perfect fit for Trump’s revenge,” he wrote. “JD’s rise is a triumph for angry jerks everywhere.”
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