JD Vance Hits the Money Circuit After Joining Trump’s Ticket
Senator JD Vance of Ohio is moving aggressively to raise money for the Republican presidential ticket, making fund-raising one of his earliest priorities as he seeks to convert his donor relationships into cash as the running mate for former President Donald J. Trump.
Bringing in money is always part of a running mate’s duties, but Mr. Vance’s team plans to lean into this role even more than usual. Mr. Vance, who spent some of his early years working in Silicon Valley’s tech industry, has some unique connections among major donors, and he could persuade some contributors who have resisted supporting the Republican nominee to get on board.
Mr. Vance has at least seven fund-raisers coming up across the country over the next week, according to invitations for each event seen by The New York Times. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to headline an event in Fort Wayne, Ind., hosted by the Indiana businessman Bill Bean, a longtime friend and supporter of former Vice President Mike Pence. Mr. Bean said last week that he expected up to 400 people could attend.
On Thursday, Mr. Vance and Mr. Trump are headlining a fund-raiser in Doral, Fla. On Friday, Mr. Vance has two fund-raisers — a breakfast in St. Louis and a sold-out luncheon in Oklahoma City hosted by an Oklahoma banking executive, Mark Davenport, and co-hosts like the billionaires Joe Craft and Harold Hamm. On Saturday, he heads to Minneapolis for a reception.
Next week, Mr. Vance is set to head to California for two fund-raisers, including an intriguing event on Monday in Silicon Valley, where he worked as a junior venture capitalist and a biotech executive. He is scheduled to headline a dinner in Palo Alto, although no hosts are listed on the invitation, unlike the other events