AceShowbiz - With under four months left until voting begins, Donald Trump has found his running mate for the 2024 United States presidential election. The former president has selected Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his pick for vice president.

The 78-year-old made the announcement via his Truth Social network on Monday, July 15 as supporters gather in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. "After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio," he declared.

Trump stressed on the campaign trail that Vance "will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond."

Vance also appeared on the floor of the convention hall of the Fiserv Forum, where the four-day Republican National Convention just started. He shook hands with friends and supporters in the Ohio delegation during the vice presidential nomination roll call.

Once a fierce Trump critic turned loyal ally, Vance rose to national fame with the 2016 publication of his memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy". He was elected to the Senate in 2022 and has become one of the staunchest champions of Trump's "Make America Great Again" agenda.

Vance used to hate Trump when the latter first ran for the White House in the 2016 cycle. However, the 39-year-old eventually supported "The Apprentice", praising his tenure in the White House, and apologized for his earlier criticism.

The announcement arrived just two days after Trump got shot in the ear when speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker is confirmed to be deceased. One spectator was killed, while two other spectators were critically injured.