The Vice-Presidential debate of October 1st presented two men fighting for competing visions of the future of their country. The Democratic Party candidate Tim Walz refrained from introducing himself, and opted instead to jump straight into a familiar litany of anti-Trump talking points. Vance, on the other hand, recounted the working-class upbringing marked by addiction, poverty, and abuse he described in his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy.

Vance is aware of his roots in the Scots-Irish heritage that built a large part of the United States. In Hillbilly Elegy, he highlights the “many good traits” of his people including “an intense sense of loyalty, a fierce dedication to family and country,” and also acknowledges traits such as a propensity for violence, ingenuity, innovation, and a constant unfailing desire for achievement.

Vance himself defines the type. An overachiever who joined the US Marine Corps straight after high school, he wrote that he was keen to be “heading to the Middle East to kill terrorists.” Returning to the United States, Vance enrolled at Ohio State University, before moving on to Yale Law School.

At Yale, Vance developed his interest in politics. He began working for Republican Senator John Conryn upon graduating before transitioning into tech circles close to venture capitalists Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen. In 2017, Vance co-founded an investment firm with their backing. Thiel later backed Vance’s successful campaign for Senator for his home state of Ohio.