A Yale Law School classmate of Republican VP candidate JD Vance, has shared a trove of e-mails with the New York Times providing insight on the previous views of the candidate before his transformation to Trump sycophant and running mate.
Sofia Nelson, now a public defender in Detroit, said the two were once close friends, but had a falling out in 2021, when Mr. Vance said publicly that he supported an Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
Nelson is transgender. The two corresponded by text and email for years before JD’s own transformation. The e-mails provide evidence that Vance was once willing to accept his transgender friend’s positions.
According to Nelson, Vance brought baked goods after transition-related surgery. That day he said words to the effect of, “I don’t understand what you’re doing, but I support you,” Nelson told The Times. “And that meant a lot to me at the time, because I think that was the foundation of our friendship.”
Nelson also attended the Vances’ joint Hindu and Christian wedding in Kentucky, where his grandparents were from, along with members of their law school circle.
Vance also sent apologies to Nelson for a reference in the book Hillbilly Elegy that referred to Nelson as a lesbian.
“Hey Sofes, here’s an excerpt from my book. I send this to you not just to brag, but because I’m sure if you read it you’ll notice reference to ‘an extremely progressive lesbian.’ I recognize now that this may not accurately reflect how you think of yourself, and for that I am really sorry,” he wrote. “I hope you’re not offended, but if you are, I’m sorry! Love you, JD.”
- In 2015, Vance showed sympathy for Blacks in the wake of the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, Missouri.
“I hate the police,” Vance said.
- In 2015, Vance was opposed to Trump’s candidacy.
“What seems different to me is that the Republican Party offers nothing that’s as attractive as the demagogue.”
- Vance wrote in September 2016 following Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” commentary.
“The more white people feel like voting for Trump, the more Black people will suffer.”
- In 2016, Nelson wrote to Vance of planning to knock doors for Hillary Clinton.
- Vance was living in California at the time, and told Nelson that “I’m counting my lucky stars that I live in a place where I don’t have to vote for her (because the margin will be so huge), because I know I could never support Trump if it really mattered.”
