Republican leaders have praised Usha Vance, the Indian-American wife of vice-presidential nominee JD Vance, as a symbol of generational change and the growing diversity within the party. Usha, a corporate lawyer and daughter of Indian immigrants, represents a shift from the party’s traditional figures, offering a contrast to the previous Republican second lady, Karen Pence.
At 38 years old, Usha is a practicing Hindu and was once a registered Democrat. Her background has made her a compelling figure in the Republican Party, where leaders see her as an embodiment of the evolving demographics of America. “With this ticket, with the show of diversity in what would be the second gentleman and second lady of the United States, I’m extremely proud to be a Hispanic male and a Republican,” said Danny Willis, chair of Delaware Young Republicans.
Born to Krish and Lakshmi Chilukuri from Andhra Pradesh, Usha grew up in a religious household in California. Her father, Krish, is an engineer and university lecturer, while her mother, Lakshmi, is a biologist and college provost. Usha’s upbringing in a tight-knit Indian-American academic community helped shape her strong sense of leadership. As early as age six, she exhibited leadership qualities, as family friend Vikram Rao recalled: “By age five or six, she had assumed a leadership role. She decided which board games we were going to play and what the rules were going to be.”
Usha’s academic journey saw her attending Yale Law School, where she met JD. Together, they organized discussions on “social decline in white America,” which later became a key theme in JD’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. JD, in his book, praised Usha for guiding him through his college years: “She instinctively understood the questions I didn’t even know to ask, and she always encouraged me to seek opportunities that I didn’t know existed.”
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Usha’s impressive career includes editing roles at the Yale Law Journal and involvement in classes offering legal advice on Supreme Court and media freedom issues. She also earned an MPhil in early modern history from the University of Cambridge. After graduation, she clerked for Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts. At Munger, Tolles & Olson, a firm known for its progressive stance, Usha worked on high-profile cases for clients like Disney and the University of California.
While she was once a registered Democrat, Usha’s political journey took a turn when she voted in the 2022 Republican primary, supporting her husband’s Senate bid. This shift reflects her evolving political alignment, mirroring JD’s own transformation from Democrat to Republican.
JD and Usha married in an interfaith ceremony in 2014. Usha has supported JD throughout his political career, including during his 2020 Senate run and now as his potential vice-presidential partner. Usha’s role as a steady anchor in JD’s life was highlighted when he told the Megyn Kelly Show in 2020: “Usha definitely brings me back to earth a little bit, and if I maybe get a little bit too cocky or a little too proud, I just remind myself that she is way more accomplished than I am.”
Together, they have two sons, Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel. Usha recently announced she would be stepping down from her position at Munger to focus on her family and her husband’s campaign.
While some Republicans emphasize the importance of character over ethnicity, Usha’s presence on the campaign trail is seen as a strategic asset for the GOP. “America started as a melting pot and we include everybody,” said Virginia Zemel, 66, from Illinois. “President Trump’s leadership, first lady Melania Trump, and his wonderful family, and now JD Vance as vice president and his wife and family will be a message to bring the strength of our country back.”
Political analysts suggest that Usha’s background could be especially valuable in swing states where Indian Americans have rising influence. John Zogby, a pollster, noted, “Second lady candidates hardly ever figure into the mix. However, Indian Americans are rising in influence in the United States. They’re heavily Democratic – or at least they have been – in their voting patterns so if there’s an opportunity to chip away at that and even get a small percentage that could be vital and especially in those swing states that everybody talks about.”
Usha Vance’s story is one of cultural diversity, academic achievement, and political shift. As she takes on a more prominent role in JD’s vice-presidential campaign, her story will continue to resonate with voters who value both change and tradition in American politics. Her background and leadership qualities could prove instrumental in reshaping the Republican Party’s future, both symbolically and strategically.
