Vance Becomes First Vice President to Serve as RNC’s Top Fundraiser

It’s the latest change to senior leadership at the Republican National Committee as the party looks ahead to 2026.

Vice President JD Vance speaks at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington on Feb. 5, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

JD Vance was named on March 18 as the finance chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), becoming the first U.S. vice president to serve in that role.

“Last year, President [Donald] Trump won an historic election victory, taking back the White House and helping Republicans regain control of the Senate and retain control of the House,” said Vance in a statement released by the RNC. “But to fully enact the MAGA mandate and President Trump’s vision that voters demanded, we must keep and grow our Republican majorities in 2026.”

Vance succeeds Duke Buchan, whom Trump nominated as ambassador to Morocco.

In the RNC statement, Trump said Vance “knows how to fight and win tough races” and that he will be working with RNC Chairman Michael Whatley to “help us secure our elections, get out the vote, and win big next year.”

The RNC and Trump campaign worked closely together in the 2024 election.

Whatley became chairman in March 2024 after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the RNC under former Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

In the RNC statement, Whatley praised Vance.

“Vice President Vance is the definition of an American success story, rising from a childhood where his family faced great struggles to become one of the youngest vice presidents in our nation’s history,” he said. “Vice President Vance is not only one of our party’s most talented messengers, he is also a thought leader who has helped remake the GOP into the party of working Americans representing the forgotten men and women of our country.”

Last year, Trump asked Whatley to stay on as RNC chairman following his electoral victory. Whatley accepted.

“The RNC’s priorities will remain the same: get out the vote, protect the ballot, and raise the money we need to elect Republicans up and down the ticket,” Whatley posted on social media platform X in December.

The RNC’s counterpart, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), poked fun at the announcement regarding Vance.

“No other sitting vice president in history has had the free time to fill this role,” said the DNC in a post on its rapid response page on X on March 18. The post included a picture of Trump embracing Elon Musk, who has played a major role in the Trump administration.

Vance is the latest change to senior leadership at the RNC.

In January, KC Crosbie succeeded Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as RNC co-chair. She previously was the RNC’s treasurer and an RNC committeewoman from Kentucky.

Trump had endorsed Crosbie for co-chair, saying “she helped the RNC smash every fundraising record in History, and fortified our Party’s financial foundation.”

She would “work on continuing to ensure a highly functioning, fiscally responsible, and effective RNC that makes Election Integrity a highest priority,” he said at the time.

Crosbie said in a statement, “The RNC will put the grassroots first and work hand-in-hand with allied conservative groups to advance President Trump’s bold agenda. From getting out the vote to protecting elections, we will fight tirelessly to help Make America Great Again!”