I was not sold on Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) when former President Donald Trump announced him as his running mate. I thought there were better choices available that would have been staunch supporters of Trump’s platform and ideology while also appealing to undecided voters that could help Trump win reelection. My feelings were reinforced and predicated mainly on Vance’s earlier comments about being a Never Trumper. However, his speech during the Republican National Convention on Wednesday helped sway me a little bit.

I wouldn’t categorize myself as being completely on board with Vance yet. However, the fact that he rose from poverty, and the socioeconomic challenges that come with that, is an experience I can personally relate to. The fact that he enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school, served in Iraq, and then went to Yale Law School is quite admirable, and it has all the workings for a success story that is arguably as American as apple pie. It exemplifies picking oneself up by one’s bootstraps, an integral component of the American spirit.