Washington — Ohio Sen. JD Vance accepted the GOP’s nomination for vice president on Wednesday, closing out the third day of the Republican National Convention with a speech that sought to remind the party that it is a “big tent” with the shared goal of a thriving nation for generations to come.

Vance’s speech marked his first formal appearance as Trump’s running mate, and provided a platform to introduce himself to the nation as the 2024 race for the White House heads into the final months. The former president watched Vance’s speech from his box in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

“Tonight, Mr. Chairman, I stand here humbled and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to say I officially accept your nomination to be vice president of the United States of America,” he said.

Elected to represent Ohio in the Senate in 2022, Vance detailed to the audience his upbringing in a small town in Ohio and paid homage to his grandmother, who he called Mamaw, and who raised Vance while his mother struggled with addiction. Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, attended the speech and was seated next to House Speaker Mike Johnson in the box for family and friends. She received a standing ovation from Trump and those in the arena.

Charting his rise from Appalachia to enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps after 9/11, to attending Yale Law School to running for the Senate, Vance said he learned of the nation’s need for a leader who “fights for the people who built this country.”

“President Trump represents America’s last best hope to restore what, if lost, may never be found again: A country where a working class boy, born far from the halls of power, can stand on this stage as the next vice president of the United States of America,” Vance, 39, said.

Trump announced Vance as his running mate in a social media post Monday during a roll call vote of state delegations that saw him become the GOP’s nominee for president. Following the roll call, delegates nominated Vance as the party’s vice presidential nominee.

He and his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, took to the convention floor ahead of his nomination, which was approved by acclamation. 

Chilukuri Vance introduced her husband at the convention, calling him “the most interesting person I knew.”

“It’s hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American dream. A boy from Middletown, Ohio, raised by his grandmother through tough times, chosen to help lead our country through some of its greatest challenges,” she said.

During his remarks, Vance raised the attempted assassination against Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, and said his actions in the wake of the shooting demonstrate his commitment to the nation.

“As we meet tonight, we cannot forget that this evening could have been so much different. Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning,” he said. 

Vance continued: “When Donald J. Trump rose to his feet in that Pennsylvania field, all of America stood with him. And what did he call us to do for our country? To fight. To fight for America. Even in his most perilous moment we were on his mind.”

Trump was wounded in the attack when a bullet grazed his year, and an attendee was killed. Two others were injured. 

In the wake of the attempted assassination, the former president called for unity, and several of his former opponents during the Republican primary delivered speeches at the convention. Most notable among them was former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who announced her endorsement of Trump during her speech Tuesday.

Vance, too, projected a message of unity and urged Americans to support the party that is unafraid to debate ideas in search of the best solution. 

“We have a big tent in this party, on everything from national security to economic policy,” he said. “But my message to you, my fellow Republicans, is we love this country, and we are united to win.”

The GOP of the next four years, Vance said, is “united in our love for America and committed to free speech and the open exchange of ideas.”

Vance characterized the U.S. as not just an idea, but a homeland that will succeed and thrive if its leaders “remember that America is a nation and its citizens deserve leaders who put its interests first.”

“We won’t agree on every issue of course, not even in this room. We may disagree from time to time about how best to reinvigorate American industry and renew American families. That’s fine. In fact, it’s more than fine, it’s good,” he said. “But never forget that the reason why this united Republican Party exists, why we do this, why we care about those great ideas and that great history, is that we want this nation to thrive for centuries to come.”

At 39 years old, Vance is the first Millennial on a major party ticket. His age places him in stark contrast with Trump, 78, and President Biden, who at 81 is facing calls from within the Democratic Party to withdraw from the race after his shaky debate performance last month.

Vance, who gained prominence with the publication of his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” was critical of Trump during the 2016 campaign but apologized for his derogatory remarks in recent years. The book has risen back to the top of bestseller lists after Vance was picked to join Trump at the top of the ticket.