Republican VP candidate JD Vance visits Bay Area for Silicon Valley fundraiser
Ohio senator and author of "Hillbilly Elegy" JD Vance returned to the Bay Area for a campaign fundraiser Monday, this time as the VP pick for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Vance was the guest of honor at a closed event at the East Palo Alto Four Seasons hotel hosted by BitGo CEO and multi-millionaire Mike Belshe. Tickets cost participants anywhere from $3,300 to $50,000 and were only made available upon requests from GOP party insiders.
The fundraiser was expected to rake in millions from the Bay Area's wealthiest GOP members, including many big names in the tech industry. RNC committee woman and attorney Hamreet Dhillon told CBS San Francisco that Silicon Valley's involvement in the race is a clear advantage over the Democratic Party and the Kamala Harris campaign.
"It's a positive sign that our campaign is picking up momentum," Dhillon said.
Vance's latest trip to the Bay marked a turning point for the historically blue tech industry. Big names and prominent company heads have shifted their support in favor of more conservative business policies at the forefront of this election. The vice presidential nominee already has connections with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, Tesla founder and X CEO Elon Musk, and Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt.
"JD Vance, who's spent years here in Silicon Valley building up his expertise in tech, is someone who's going to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of the tech community," Dhillon said.
Vance lived in San Francisco for a few years working at a venture capital firm, a tenure that allowed him to cultivate such relationships.
California Republicans like Jeff Burns see Vance's link to Silicon Valley as something that gives him more visibility and could ultimately galvanize the average Republican voter to show up at the poles.
"It's a chance to get people excited for the cause," Burns said.
Supporters have embraced and rallied behind Vance as former President Trump's running mate, but he isn't without criticism.
Republican opposition scrutinized the prospective VP for calling Democratic, single women "childless cat ladies" in an interview. Vance was also criticized for his response to comments made about his wife's race.
This has not deterred Bay Area Republicans from supporting him.
"We have to look at the big picture," Dhillon said. "I'm enthusiastic to have him on the ticket."
