J.D. Vance, a venture capitalist, author, and politician, has an estimated net worth of $5 million. In 2022, he was elected to the United States Senate, and his term began in 2023. Vance became widely known in 2016 for his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which highlights his childhood in Middletown, Ohio, and examines the socioeconomic challenges of the Appalachian region.
Although initially critical of Donald Trump, Vance shifted his stance in 2020, becoming a Trump ally. In 2024, he was even rumored to be a potential Vice President pick for Trump’s presidential campaign. On July 15, 2024, Vance was officially named Trump’s running mate for the 2024 election.
Vance’s venture capitalist career is marked by numerous investments. He was a board member of AppHarvest until 2021, a company specializing in indoor farming, particularly tomatoes. AppHarvest went public in 2021 with a $3 billion market cap but filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
As a U.S. Senator, Vance earns a salary of $174,000. Additionally, he is a co-founder and partner at Narya Capital, a venture capital firm. His salary from Narya is reported to be $327,000 annually, based on his latest financial disclosures.
Financial Disclosure Breakdown
In August 2022, Vance’s financial disclosure revealed his extensive investment portfolio. Among his assets, many are valued between $1,000 and $15,000. Notable investments include a stake in Rumble, an online video platform, valued between $100,000 and $250,000. He also has holdings in Kriya Therapies, valued at $50,000 to $100,000, and AppHarvest, valued at $100,000 to $200,000. Vance’s other significant investments include AcreTrader Inc., worth between $15,000 and $50,000.
The highest valued asset listed in his disclosure is JD Vance Enterprises LLC, which oversees his media and speaking engagements. He also owns significant assets across various accounts, including Huntington National Bank, Charles Schwab, Robinhood, and five Goldman Sachs CDs, with a combined value ranging from $500,000 to $1.05 million.
Real Estate Holdings
In June 2018, Vance and his wife, Usha, purchased a $1.4 million home in Cincinnati, Ohio. The property spans over two acres and includes a 4,700-square-foot mansion built in 1858, featuring five bedrooms and five bathrooms. The couple financed the property with a mortgage valued between $500,000 and $1 million at a 3.875% fixed rate.
Additionally, they own a townhouse in Washington, D.C., which they bought for $590,000 in 2014. The townhouse is occasionally rented for $3,000 per month.
James Donald Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, to Bev and Donald. After his parents’ divorce when he was young, Vance was adopted by his mother’s third husband. He and his sister were largely raised by their grandparents, whom they called Mamaw and Papaw.
Vance graduated from Middletown High School and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in the Iraq War. He later attended Ohio State University, earning a degree in political science and philosophy in 2009. He then went on to graduate from Yale Law School in 2013 with a Juris Doctor degree.
Venture Capital Career
Vance’s career began in corporate law, but he later transitioned into venture capitalism in San Francisco’s tech scene. He worked briefly as the chief operating officer at a biotech company, which led him to work with Peter Thiel’s Mithril Capital. In 2016, Vance left the biotech company to join Mithril Capital as a principal, the same year his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, gained widespread success.
After leaving Mithril in 2017, Vance joined Revolution, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm founded by AOL co-founder Steve Case. At Revolution, he was the lead partner on a series of deals, including investments in the AI company Pryon and AppHarvest.
In 2019, Vance co-founded Narya Capital, a Cincinnati-based venture firm. Narya received $93 million in funding from notable Silicon Valley figures, including Peter Thiel and Eric Schmidt. Since its founding, Narya has invested in a wide range of industries, from gene therapy to space security.
Rise to Fame with Hillbilly Elegy
Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, published in 2016, became a New York Times bestseller. The book reflects on Vance’s childhood in Middletown, Ohio, and addresses the broader struggles of working-class white families in Appalachia. Its release was highly timely, coinciding with the 2016 U.S. presidential election and sparking debates about poverty and the working class in America.
Despite its success, Hillbilly Elegy received its share of criticism, with some accusing Vance of oversimplifying the issues and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. In 2020, the book was adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard, featuring Amy Adams and Glenn Close.
Royalties from Hillbilly Elegy
In terms of earnings, Vance generated significant royalties from Hillbilly Elegy. According to his financial disclosures, he earned $347,752 in royalties in 2020 and $475,380 in 2021, reflecting the ongoing popularity and impact of his memoir.
Narya Capital Investments
Vance’s venture firm, Narya Capital, was established in 2020 with $93 million in backing from prominent Silicon Valley billionaires. The firm’s portfolio includes investments in various sectors, such as gene therapy, digital platforms, and security technology. Some of the more notable investments include:
- Hallow: A prayer app supported by Mark Wahlberg.
- Rumble: A video streaming platform designed as an alternative to YouTube.
- Chapter: A service aimed at helping seniors understand Medicare.
- Branch: An online insurance company.
- Strive: An asset management firm founded by Vivek Ramaswamy.
- Kriya Therapeutics: A biotech company focused on gene therapy.
As of his 2022 financial disclosure, Vance’s personal investments in Narya’s portfolio are valued between $100,000 and $250,000 per asset. However, not all investments have been successful, as one of Narya’s notable companies, AppHarvest, filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
U.S. Senate Career
Vance launched his Senate campaign in 2021, aiming to fill the seat vacated by Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman. His candidacy was endorsed by Donald Trump, which helped him secure both the Republican primary and the general election in 2022. Vance took office as a U.S. Senator in 2023.
Trump’s Vice President Selection
In 2024, Vance was officially chosen to be Donald Trump’s running mate for the presidential election. This selection was in line with his rise in prominence within the Republican Party, solidifying his influence as part of Trump’s political team.
Political Stance
Vance’s political ideology aligns with that of a populist conservative. He has been critical of LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and the reality of climate change. One of his key political stances is his opposition to U.S. support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. In a 2024 New York Times Op-Ed, Vance argued that Russia’s victory in Ukraine was inevitable and that this reality should shape future U.S. policy on Ukraine.
Vance was initially an outspoken critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 election, calling Trump’s rhetoric reprehensible and likening him to “America’s Hitler.” However, by 2020, he became a staunch Trump supporter, even perpetuating the narrative of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
