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Usha Vance calls JD ‘a meat and potatoes guy’ who learnt to cook Indian food, in a heart warming speech

Usha Vance steps into the limelight to share insights into her husband and Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance's personal life.

Published on: Jul 18, 2024, 10:18:39 IST
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Usha Chilukuri Vance took the podium on day three of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, delivering her first speech since her husband, JD Vance, was announced as Donald Trump's running mate.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, hugs his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance after speaking on third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP)
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, hugs his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance after speaking on third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (AP)

As the wife of Republican vice-presidential nominee Senator JD Vance (R-OH), Usha shared heartfelt insights into why she deeply admires her husband, a Marine who overcame significant trauma to graduate from Yale Law School. She recounted how JD adapted to her vegetarian diet and learned to cook Indian food from her mother, integrating seamlessly into her family.

"That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country. It is also a testament to JD," Usha Chilukuri Vance said. “It's hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American dream, a boy from Middletown, Ohio raised by his grandmother through tough times, chosen to help lead our country through some of its greatest challenges.”

Also Read: Who is Usha Vance? JD Vance's Indian American wife

Watch Usha Vance introduce her husband JD Vance

Ohio senator shared his story of a tough upbringing and positioned himself as a champion for struggling Americans, making a heartfelt appeal to Rust Belt voters.

Vance calls himself a fighter for the working class

Speaking at the Republican National Convention, Vance highlighted his roots in small-town Ohio, emphasizing the economic challenges faced by communities across the Rust Belt. "In small towns like mine in Ohio, or next door in Pennsylvania, or in Michigan, in states all across our country, jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war," he said. Vance vowed, "To the people of Middletown, Ohio, and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and every corner of our nation, I promise you this: I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from."

Vance's humble beginnings and journey to the national stage

At 39, Vance is relatively new to the political scene, having served in the Senate for less than two years. However, he quickly transformed from a critic of Trump to a staunch supporter, now poised to lead the "Make America Great Again" movement. His selection as Trump’s running mate also underscores the generational contrast with 78-year-old Trump and 81-year-old President Joe Biden.

Vance's personal story of overcoming adversity

Vance's speech detailed his journey from a poor upbringing in Kentucky and Ohio, with a mother struggling with addiction and an absent father, to joining the Marines, graduating from Yale Law School, and rising to political prominence. "Never in my wildest imagination could I have believed that I’d be standing here tonight," he remarked. His bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which explores his blue-collar roots, gained significant attention during Trump’s 2016 campaign.

  • Vertika Kanaujia
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vertika Kanaujia

    Vertika Kanaujia is Editor Audience Growth at Hindustan Times and oversees the website’s coverage of business news, health, technology and internet culture. She is a Chevening Scholar and a Columbia Journalism University Fellow. Vertika has been a journalist for more than 18 years. After starting her career as a business journalist in TV she has worked with various leading news channels. You can email her at vertika.kanaujia@htdigital.in.Read More

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