Presidential running mates are always responsible for bringing in cash, but Mr. Vance, who has old ties to Silicon Valley, appears to be leaning into the role heavily.
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Senator JD Vance of Ohio has at least five fund-raisers scheduled over the next week across the country, according to invitations seen by The New York Times.
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 six fund-raisers coming up across the country over the next week, according to invitations 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., according to a copy of the invitation. Mr. Vance also reportedly has finance events in Oklahoma on Friday and Minneapolis on Saturday.
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 on his calendar.
On July 31, he is scheduled to be in Coalinga, in Central California’s agriculture belt, where he will be toasted by John Harris, a prominent farming executive. Fellow hosts of that lunch include Richard Spencer, a major Republican fund-raiser in the state.
Mr. Trump wanted to choose a running mate who could help him bring in big money, and vice-presidential hopefuls like Mr. Vance were eager to flaunt their donor relationships. Mr. Vance is also likely to take the lead on lower-dollar events that may not raise as much money as fund-raisers headlined by Mr. Trump.
Mr. Vance, who lives in Cincinnati and must balance his campaign travel against Senate commitments in Washington, had only one public event on his schedule as of Tuesday as he focused on fund-raising: a rally on Saturday in Minnesota.
Theodore Schleifer writes about campaign finance and the influence of billionaires in American politics. More about Theodore Schleifer
Michael C. Bender is a Times political correspondent covering Donald J. Trump, the Make America Great Again movement and other federal and state elections. More about Michael C. Bender
Rebecca Davis O’Brien covers campaign finance and money in U.S. elections. She previously covered federal law enforcement, courts and criminal justice. More about Rebecca Davis O’Brien
See more on: J.D. Vance, Donald Trump, 2024 Elections, U.S. Politics
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Source: nytimes.com