Usha Vance could become the 1st Indian American second lady
By Carl Samson
Usha Vance, the 38-year-old wife of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, is an accomplished lawyer and daughter of Indian immigrants. Her journey from a San Diego upbringing to the national spotlight is marked by her own achievements and a supportive role in her husband’s political career.
- Background and education: Usha, a practicing Hindu, was raised by a biologist mother and an engineer father. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from Yale and Cambridge, respectively. She completed her law degree at Yale Law School, where she met J.D., who went on to describe her as his “Yale spirit guide” in his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy.” They married in 2014 and have three children: Ewan, 6; Vivek, 4; and Mirabel, 2.
- Career and political transition: Usha clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he was an appeals court judge. She later worked as a corporate litigator at the prestigious law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, which describes its corporate culture as “radically progressive.” Her departure from the firm was announced shortly after her husband was selected as Trump’s running mate. Public records show she voted in Democratic primaries until 2014 but switched to the Republican primary in 2022, aligning with her husband’s politics.
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