Pro-Crypto Ohio Senator J.D. Vance Is Donald Trump’s Vice President Pick

Former President Donald Trump, who is expected to run for the leadership race of the Republican Party in the USA, announced that he has chosen cryptocurrency-friendly Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his vice presidential candidate.

“After much consideration and consideration of the extraordinary talents of many others, I have determined that Senator J.D. Vance of the State of Ohio is the most qualified person to serve as Vice President of the United States,” Trump said in a statement on TruthSocial, a social media app.

“JD has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now during the Campaign, he will focus heavily on the people he fights for: American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and far beyond.”

Read more: Crypto-Friendly Senator JD Vance’s Trump VP Pick Likely to Double in Polymarket

Vance’s odds of being nominated as vice president at cryptocurrency-based prediction market platform Polymarket reached 70% on Monday, by far the highest of any of his competitors.

The “Hillbilly Elegy” author and venture capitalist was a likely choice among leaders in the crypto space, given his previous efforts to push for clearer regulations. According to Politico, he most recently drafted a bill that would revamp how the U.S. regulates digital assets, and sources say it would be even more crypto-friendly than a bill that passed the House of Representatives in June.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Florida Senator Marco Rubio were also considered Trump’s vice presidential running mate, but were notified early Monday that they had dropped out of the race.

Vance did not disclose in his latest Senate financial disclosure that he had bought or sold any cryptocurrencies, but he did disclose that he held between $100,000 and $250,000 worth of Bitcoin in 2022.

UPDATE (July 15, 2024, 19:45 UTC): Added Vance’s financial disclosures, including his 2022 statement.