Sen. JD Vance makes populist introduction in RNC speech accepting VP nomination: Watch

U.S. Senator and Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance (R-OH) took the podium at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday to officially accept his place on the ticket and pledge fealty to Donald Trump.

The current junior Senator from Ohio provided a summation of his life experiences, made famous in his book turned movie "Hillbilly Elegy ," tinged with populist notes.

"For decades, that divide between the few, with their power and comfort in Washington, and the rest of us only widened," Vance said.

Vance pushed for protectionism across multiple markets in his speech, criticizing Joe Biden's support of NAFTA and other international trade deals.

"We won’t import foreign labor; we’ll fight for American citizens. We won’t buy energy from countries that hate us, we’ll get it RIGHT here from American workers," Vance said. "We won’t sacrifice our supply chains to unlimited global trade, we’ll stamp every product made in the U.S.A."

Watch JD Vance's speech at the 2024 RNC

Vance was introduced to the convention by his wife Usha , who has seen attacks from the extreme right of the party .

Vance was once a fierce Trump critic but has since come to the Republican Party leader's heel.

In a 2016 column for the Atlantic , Vance compared Trump to an opioid and said his "promises are the needle in America's collective vein." Speaking to Slate , he argued that Trump was "tapping into some racially ugly attitudes" and "leading the white working class to a very dark place." He also criticized the former president's policy proposals, saying they ranged "from immoral to absurd."

The Republican National Convention is in Milwaukee through Thursday where former President Donald Trump on Thursday will formally accept the party’s nomination for the 2024 Election.

USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day .

RNC live updates: Kai Trump, Donald Trump Jr. address Republican convention

What to know about JD Vance

• Who he is : Junior Senator from Ohio, author
• What role he plays : Republican vice presidential nominee
• Key quote : "I officially accept your nomination to be vice president of the United States of America."

When and where is the Republican National Convention?

The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Fiserv Forum , home of the Milwaukee Bucks , will be the main venue for the RNC.

There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center.

How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news?

USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15:

Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. JD Vance makes populist introduction in RNC speech accepting VP nomination: Watch