RNC 2024 Day 3 updates: JD Vance touts working class roots in debut as VP nominee

Day three of the Republican National Convention centered around vice presidential candidate JD Vance as he introduced himself to Republicans as Trump's running mate.

The day was held under the theme of "Make America Strong Once Again."

Former President Donald Trump made an appearance at the convention hall to watch his running mate make his national debut. Other notable speakers included Trump's son and granddaughter and several Gold Star families who expressed their support for the former president.

Despite calls for unity, several speakers spent time bashing President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democrats on several issues including immigration, crime and Israel.

Latest Developments

_{Jul 18, 12:24 AM}

JD Vance delivers keynote address

Ohio Sen. JD Vance delivered his first speech as Trump's running mate, speaking at length about the former president, including the assassination attempt over the weekend.

"As we meet tonight, we cannot forget that this evening could have been so much different," he started. "Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning."

He urged people to watch the footage of the shooting to get a sense of Trump's character.

"When Donald Trump rose to his feet in that Pennsylvania field, all of America stood with him," he said.

Vance said the Trump he has gotten to know is tough, "but he cares about people."

"He can stand defiant against an assassin one moment and call for national healing the next," he said.

He said he is "humbled" and "overwhelmed with gratitude" to officially accept the Republican nomination for vice president and his message to the party is: "We love this country and we are united to win."

Vance got in a few jabs at Biden. He referred to the president as a career politician who, when Vance was in the fourth grade, supported NAFTA, "a bad trade deal that sent countless jobs to Mexico."

He said Biden's economy has given Americans an "inflation crisis."

He said America needs a leader who "answers to the working man" and "won't sell out to multinational corporations, but will stand up for American companies and American industries."

"President Trump represents America's last, best hope to restore what it lost and may never be found again," he said.

Trump's vision, Vance said, is "so simple yet so powerful."

"We are done catering to Wall Street. We will commit to the working man," he said. "We are done importing foreign labor. We are going to fight for American citizens and their good jobs and their good wages."

"We are done buying energy from countries that hate us. We are going to get it right here from American workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio and across the country," he continued.

If elected, he said he will be a vice president who "never forgets where he came from."

"I pledge to every American, no matter your party, I will give you everything I have, to serve you, and to make this country a place where every dream you have for yourself, your family and your country will be possible once again," he said toward the end of his speech.

_{Jul 17, 11:33 PM}

People leaving as Vance continues speaking

Vance is still speaking, but many people are leaving their seats and moving around, some exiting the arena altogether..

_{Jul 17, 11:20 PM}

Crowd cheers for Vance's mother and her sobriety

In his speech, JD Vance touched on being raised by his grandmother as his mother struggled with addiction.

"I'm proud to say that tonight my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober," he said, as the crowd gave his mother a standing ovation and chanted, "JD's mom."

_{Jul 17, 11:14 PM}

Crowd engaged, but a little flat as Vance speaks

At times, the crowd joined into chants of "Joe must go" or "memaw" -- but they're not as enthusiastic as they've been other times this convention, despite the arena being a packed house tonight.

Many people remain seated as he speaks, even some the delegates on the floor.

_{Jul 17, 10:59 PM}

As Vance criticizes Biden, crowd says 'Joe must go'

As Vance went after Biden as a "career politician" and slammed his support for various trade deals over the years, the crowd joined in a "Joe must go" chant.

"I agree," Vance said.

_{Jul 17, 10:56 PM}

What to know about Usha Chilukuri Vance

Usha Chilukuri Vance, J.D. Vance's wife, is expected to introduce her husband as makes his first speech since being named Donald Trump's running mate.

The daughter of Indian immigrants, Chilukuri Vance is an experienced lawyer who has worked for major judicial figures, during her career.

She previously served as a law clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, when he sat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Judge Amul Thapar, when he was U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Chilukuri Vance worked at the firm Munger, Tolles & Olsen, until Monday when she resigned from her position, not long after Vance was named Trump's vice presidential pick.

MORE: Who is Usha Vance? JD Vance's wife leaves law firm after Trump VP announcement

The couple met while they were students at Yale University Law and married in 2014. They have three children.

-ABC News' Leah Sarnoff and Katherine Faulders

_{Jul 17, 11:51 PM}

Usha Vance touts husband before his big speech

Usha Chilukuri Vance was the penultimate speaker of the night and talked personally about their relationship and his work in the Senate.

Chilukuri Vance, a daughter of Indian immigrants, talked about how despite their differences she and her husband approached those differences with "curiosity and enthusiasm."

"Before I knew it, he had become an integral part of my family. A person I could not imagine living without. The JD I knew then is the same JD you see today. Except for that beard," she said to a laughing crowd.

MORE: Who is Usha Vance? JD Vance's wife leaves law firm after Trump VP announcement

"It is safe to say that neither JD nor I expected to find ourselves in this position. But it is hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American dream," Chilukuri Vance added as the crowd changed "JD."

"I am grateful to all of you for the trust you have placed in him and in our family," Chilukuri Vance said.

_{Jul 17, 10:48 PM}

Crowd on their feet as JD Vance takes the stage

As Usha Vance introduced her husband, attendees rose out of their seats to give the vice presidential nominee a standing ovation as he walked out to the song “America First.”

_{Jul 17, 10:47 PM}

This is the biggest speech of Vance's life

Vance is about to speak in primetime at the RNC, live on all three big networks as well as cable news. The stakes are high, as this is the first impression many Americans will have of him. According to a recent YouGov poll , 43 percent of Americans don't have an opinion of Vance -- probably because many of them are hearing about him for the very first time. This speech will be step one in (he hopes) building a positive reputation for himself.

-538's Nathaniel Rakich

_{Jul 17, 11:47 PM}

Donald Trump Jr.: 'On Nov. 5, we will fight with our vote'

After introducing his daughter, Kai Trump, at the RNC, Donald Trump Jr. praised the teen for her "incredible work" then said, "Now back to business."

He began his speech addressing the assassination attempt on Trump at Saturday's rally.

"Just days ago, something that once seemed unimaginable became a terrifying reality," he said. "My father came under literal fire as an incredible patriotic rally turned into a tragedy. On a field in Butler, Pennsylvania, a brave firefighter died, others were injured, and as those bullets rained down, we came millimeters away from one of the darkest moments in our nation's history."

He then went after the Biden administration.

"Remember 'Build Back Better?' Instead, we got broke, bumbling Biden," he said. "Nothing is built, nothing is back, and nothing is better. Bridges are collapsing, our credibility is crumbling and our money is worth less and less every single day."

With a photo of Trump with his fist raised at the rally following the shooting on display, Donald Trump Jr. led the crowd in a chant of "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"And we will fight. We will fight. We will fight with our voices. We will fight with our ideas and on Nov. 5, we will fight with our vote," he said, positing the election as a choice between "America first" and "America last."

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