House conservatives hail Vance pick

• "He possesses a profound understanding of the anxieties of working families and has both the lived experience and the policy expertise to help President Trump deliver a government worthy of the people it is supposed to serve," Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.

The big picture: Vance — the author of best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and a first-term senator— edged out a number of more moderate contenders in a boon for hardliners.

• "J.D. is the future of the GOP and an America First movement that's pro-worker, tough on China, and strong on borders," Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told Axios.
• Banks aded that Vance "will appeal best to working class voters in midwestern swing states who Trump needs to win."
• "J.D. Vance is brilliant and effective. He understands America's heartland. He will be an outstanding partner for President Trump," Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told Axios.

Yes, but: Prior to the announcement, some defense hawks raised concerns to Axios about Vance's status as one of the Senate's leading critics of continued U.S. aide to Ukraine.

The other side: Democrats are looking to hit Vance over his stance on abortion and his comments on Jan. 6 — as well as highlighting his past criticisms of Trump.

• "J.D. Vance embodies MAGA - with an out-of-touch extreme agenda and plans to help Trump force his Project 2025 agenda on the American people," Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement.
• "Vance has championed and enabled Trump's worst policies for years — from a national abortion ban, to whitewashing Jan. 6, to railing against Social Security and Medicare," Harrison added.

The bottom line: Republicans are feeling bullish about their odds in November, with Vance potentially also giving a boost to down-ballot candidates like Ohio GOP Senate contender Bernie Moreno, who is looking to ouse Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Go deeper: Democrats back on offense over Trump's "despicable" J.D. Vance pick