Trump endorses Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance in Ohio Senate primary

Former President Donald Trump announced Friday he was endorsing Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance in the Ohio Republican Senate primary, Axios reported.

In a statement, Trump called Vance "the candidate most qualified and ready to win in November." Trump added that Vance "may have said some not-so-great things about me in the past, but he gets it now."

Axios reports that "Vance was a strong critic against Trump in 2016" but has become a staunch supporter of the former president since entering politics in 2020. Writing for The Week, W. James Antle III noted that Friday's announcement is "Trump's first major endorsement of a Republican committed to the policy-focused Trumpism of the MAGA smart set."

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A Trafalgar Group poll conducted before the endorsement was announced had Vance trailing former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel — who is also aggressively courting Trump's base — by five points.

"I continue to be a proud supporter of President Trump and the America First agenda. I look forward to earning his endorsement in the general election and working with him to defeat Tim Ryan in November," Mandel wrote on Twitter after the endorsement was announced.

The poll surveyed 1,078 likely primary voters on Wednesday and Thursday and has an error margin of 2.99 percent.