From Democrat to Trump Vice President's Wife: Who is Usha Vance?
J.D. Vance's Wife, Usha, Emerges as a Surprising Asset in Trump's Vice Presidential Campaign
J.D. Vance, Trump's Republican Vice Presidential candidate, is not alone in the spotlight as he makes his debut on the Republican National Convention stage. His wife, Usha, accompanies him. This image has been notably absent in Trump's campaign in recent months: his wife Melania has mostly kept a low profile, seldom appearing in public - speculation and mockery about the state of the Trump marriage have been ongoing.
The Vances present a stark contrast: not only are they young and camera-friendly, they present themselves as a team. Instead of distant gestures, there's a kiss for the cameras. The 38-year-old Usha stands firmly by her husband's side, as the message goes.
In the US Presidential campaign, such a resource is invaluable: partners, often wives, frequently serve as evidence of the human, empathetic side of candidates and become a topic in their own right during their tenure, usually focusing on social politics. What this could mean for Usha Vance remains to be seen. What does her biography reveal?
Background
The daughter of Indian immigrants grew up in the US state of California, her birth name is Chilukuri. She grew up in a religious household, her parents were Hindus, she says about her childhood. She met her future husband at the elite university Yale, where they both studied law. Usha Vance played a quiet but significant role in her husband's rise. At the university, she helped the future Trump VP sort out his ideas about the social decline in rural white America - the foundation for Vance's bestseller "Hillbilly Elegy".
The couple married in 2014 and now have three children. Previously, she was reportedly registered as a Democrat. The lawyer worked at the Supreme Court after her studies for Justice John Roberts. Later, Vance became a lawyer in a law firm specializing in damages claims and representing large corporations.
Usha Vance has not been in the limelight until now. In a joint interview with Fox News a few weeks ago, Usha Vance gushed about her husband: "Everything he says and does is based on so many considerations. He always tries to make it better." When asked if she was ready to potentially become Second Lady of the USA, she said: "I don't know if anyone is ever ready for this kind of test." But she loves her husband and therefore the couple is "open" for it.
In the upcoming US Presidential Election 2024, Usha Vance's role as J.D. Vance's wife in Trump's campaign could shed light on the candidates' personal and empathetic side, as politics often emphasizes the human aspects of candidates. Given her background as a Democrat and her work in law, Usha Vance's potential contributions to politics in Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state, could significantly influence the US Presidential Election 2024 campaign strategy.
