Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s name, and the ones he used before, come with a complex explanation. The Ohio senator became famous in 2016 after publishing his best-seller book “Hillbilly Elegy” under the name J.D. Vance.
James Donald Bowman, born Aug. 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, had the same middle and surname names as his biological dad, Donald Bowman. When JD was 6, his mom Beverly remarried for the third time, and she changed his name to James David Hamel when his stepfather, Robert Hamel, adopted him.
For almost twenty years, Vance was known as James David J.D. Hamel. He went under that name while he was a student at Middletown High School, a Marine in Iraq, a political science major at Ohio State, and a 26-year-old law student at Yale.
Vance decided to change his name to his loving grandmother’s surname after his mother and adoptive father’s divorce. Vance chose to assume a new persona as he embarked on a career in law and literature.
Vance had already eliminated the periods in “J.D.” before entering politics in July 2021. JD was a pseudonym he used often during his life.
When queried by the media about whether this was an official change or just a matter of style, his campaign said that it was Vance’s preferred wording in print. He continues to use it while serving as a senator for the United States, citing himself as JD Vance in many official documents, including his website, news releases, and election and business filings.
Former President Trump selected the 39-year-old Ohio Senator as his running mate on July 15th. Vance had previously been Trump’s critic but has since become a faithful supporter. According to some, the choice will energize Trump’s backers. Vance has established himself as a mainstay of conservative media and often engages in heated exchanges with journalists on Capitol Hill. This is what the backers look for in a potential successor to Trump in the 2028 presidential race.
