When Senator JD Vance was selected as Donald Trump’s running mate, he was met with an immediate barrage of corporate media cynicism and attacks. At first, an electorate mostly unfamiliar with Vance accepted some of those aspersions, and he faced an uphill battle to establish himself and reassert his reputation.

Thankfully, JD fully embraced this challenge as he displayed his lifelong willingness to handle hard situations. He demonstrated constancy through adversity that brought him to this place in his life and career. In a sense, the vitriol directed at Vance only validates his strength, both as a political leader and as a man. As I wrote in RealClear Politics when he was selected by Trump:

Vance acts as a magnet for particularly heated vitriol from the spokesmen and platforms of the American ruling class. Why? Because they see him as a former insider who turned on them. In other words, just like Donald Trump, Vance was once considered part of the “club” of elites, given his educational pedigree and experience in finance. Moreover, the huge success of his book and movie made him, briefly, the toast of the town in places like Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Like Trump, he could have continued on that path of lucrative deals and constant adulation from the supposed ‘important people.’

Instead, to pursue better lives for Americans in circumstances he knew as a child and young man, Vance chose the more difficult path as a populist political thinker and officeholder. He knowingly passed on rewards and accolades for higher patriotic goals, which speaks to his true character as a man and as a candidate.

I came to really know JD in 2022 when I worked as a media advisor and spokesman for his US Senate campaign. We spent countless hours together, barnstorming the state of Ohio as he waged an upstart, come-from-behind campaign to ultimately win the US Senate seat from the Buckeye State.

Steve Cortes (pictured left) with JD Vance

The more time I spent with him, the more I liked and admired him. The strongest human relationships are formed during mundane times together. It became very apparent to me that the JD I knew from long car rides, casual meals, and endless conversations about politics and philosophy—this man is a force, a leader who possesses the principles and the smarts to be truly great.

Thankfully, American voters everywhere have come around to that view as well. They now see this man as an embodiment of the American spirit of resiliency. After all, Vance is someone who overcame the stark challenges of a troubled childhood home to become a man of substance and achievement. Despite that tough upbringing, he made himself into a wonderful father, a doting husband, a successful businessman, and a proud US Marine.

So, with grit and determination, Vance preserved through the initial media storm of calumny and lies and proved his mettle. In fact, he became perhaps the foremost warrior in politics at deconstructing the illogical and biased narratives of the corrupt corporate media. He took on all comers, from CNN to ABC News, and he battled back with facts and a smile.

JD showed us all that the lies of the biased media crumble quickly when they are confronted with a principled commentator who refuses to accept the absurd premises of their propaganda. Not surprisingly, JD was rewarded for these performances with a soaring favorability rating from voters, proving that Trump’s confidence in Vance for this crucial role was well-placed.

President Trump’s second term will represent an incredible triumph for the American people over the ruling class. The people of America will regain control of our republic, establish border sovereignty again, and restore prosperity for the anxious middle class. JD Vance has proven that he is the perfect co-pilot for this great mission, and he will make an incredible vice president.

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Steve Cortes is former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance, former commentator for Fox News and CNN, and president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group.