J.D. Vance launches Ohio campaign for Republicans, tests 2028 Trump succession bid

J.D. Vance launched a campaign in support of Republicans in the midterm elections from his hometown, testing his chances to succeed Donald Trump in 2028.

Vance addressed a crowd at a steel mill in Middletown, Ohio, where his grandfather worked for 40 years. The working-class city featured prominently in his 2016 bestselling memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," according to Al Arabiya.

Vance is also supporting Republican candidates ahead of the midterms, as party members express concern over potentially losing control of Congress.

Vance said the Trump administration is making progress on "cost of living" issues, noting voters' anger over rising prices.

He urged Republicans to vote in November, saying, "Go out, fight, and tell the extremists who have taken over the Democratic Party: this is not your country. It is ours."

If Trump abandons plans for a third term—unconstitutional under US law—the race to succeed him will begin after the midterm elections.

Vance has not officially announced his candidacy, but he is clearly placing himself as a potential heir to the 'Make America Great Again' movement.