Behind Every Great Man Is a Great Woman

By Ashley Brasfield

Vice President JD Vance has consistently emphasized that his success is deeply rooted in the unwavering support of his wife, Usha. He has proudly embraced his role as a devoted #Wifeguy. The youthful Vance family — JD, 40, Usha, 39, and their young children Ewan, 7, Vivek, 4, and Mirabel, 3 — brought a refreshing energy to the political scene, signaling a shift in the aging American political landscape.

On January 20, 2025, the nation watched as President Donald J. Trump and Vance were sworn in at the Capitol Rotunda. As the spotlight shifted to the women of the day, the graceful now Second Lady Usha Vance stole the show. In a soft pink coat, Usha held their daughter, Mirabel, in one arm, while her other hand gently floated under Mamaw’s Bible as JD took the oath of office as the 50th Vice President. Usha and their children watching with admiration as this historic moment unfolded.

The couple embodies the saying, “Behind every great man is a woman,” and that woman is Usha Vance. So how did this first generation Indian American from San Diego meet a boy from a broken home in the Rust Belt?

It all started when the two met each other at Yale Law School in 2010. In a 2017 NBC interview with Megyn Kelly, Usha spoke about her first impression of JD:

“He just had a really great attitude to everything,” she said. “He was clearly so excited to be there in a way that a lot of people just get accustomed to places like Yale Law School when you’ve been to other universities like that before. He just felt very different.”

In his best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and its Netflix adaptation, JD openly shares his tumultuous past, including the imposter syndrome he experienced as he climbed in his career because of his battered background. Amid the chaos — his mother’s drug addiction, the challenges of law school, and falling in love for the first time — Usha’s unwavering support was a constant source of strength. Thanks to her love, JD graduated from Yale Law, and just a year later, in 2014, the couple married.

Charles Tyler, a classmate from Yale Law, spoke about the couple’s dynamic in a BBC interview: “Usha was teaching JD about the subtler aspects of being at an elite institution,” he recalled. “She was his guide throughout the process.”

JD has spoken openly about his spiritual journey and the pivotal role Usha has played in it. When the couple met, JD had drifted away from the Christian faith he was raised in, while Usha came from a strong Hindu background. After struggling with his faith for years, JD, with Usha’s gentle encouragement, began attending church again and slowly reconnected with his spirituality. This journey ultimately led to his conversion to Catholicism in 2019.

Although the couple practices different faiths — something some might consider progressive — they both share the core belief that religion plays an essential role in family life. In a Fox & Friends interview, Usha explained that she and JD focus on the values they hold in common.

“There are a lot of things we just agree on when it comes to family life and how to raise our kids,” she said. “I think the answer is we really just talk a lot.”

Usha has been an anchor for JD as he pursued what mattered most to him. For JD, that wasn’t Silicon Valley. Instead, he and Usha chose to settle in Columbus, Ohio, where they could raise their three children and where JD believed he could make the greatest impact — particularly on the opioid crisis that had deeply affected the region where he grew up.

Prior to JD’s Senate run in Ohio in 2021, Usha was asked by Megyn Kelly in the NBC interview if JD should run for office. She replied: “If he really thinks that’s the best way he can contribute to his home, then I think that would be a great idea.”

Even in that 2017 interview, her belief in JD’s potential was clear. Usha’s dedication to JD was evident when he made the decision to run for Senate in Ohio. The couple, as they always have, stood by each other throughout the process. Despite having very young children at the time, the decision couldn’t have been easy.

Usha herself had a distinguished career, having clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh before joining Munger, Tolles & Olson law firm. There, she spent nearly six years handling complex civil litigation and appeals in areas such as higher education, local government, entertainment, and technology, working across the firm’s offices in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

As JD embarks on his most significant milestone yet as vice president of the United States, there’s no doubt that Usha will remain a rock for him and their family. Family friend and political consultant Jai Chabria, speaking to USA Today, shared that JD always values Usha’s advice.

“When he goes out and makes a great speech, she advises him, and gives him her opinion, and it’s taken seriously,” he said.

Throughout his career—first as a U.S. senator and now as vice president — Vance has never failed to publicly acknowledge Usha’s integral role in his success. In his 2024 Republican National Convention speech, he said, “My most important American dream was becoming a good husband and a good dad.”

He took to social media shortly after Trump’s projected victory, thanking his “beautiful wife for making it possible to do this.” Usha’s unwavering devotion has been a constant thread, guiding JD through the highs and lows of his political journey. As Usha herself put it, “That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country.”

Their story is not only one of love and partnership but also a powerful testament to the strength of their bond — truly a great American love story. Usha’s unconditional love continues to shape JD as she serves as Second Lady.

Ashley Brasfield is a Georgia native and part-time field reporter for Right Side News Broadcasting (RSBN). A graduate of the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina, Ashley is also a former Division I Beach Volleyball athlete. Her diverse background in both academics and sports informs her dynamic approach to journalism. Find her on Instagram @ashleyebrasfield and X @BrasfieldAshley.