JD Vance Wall Street allies help Trump campaign fundraise

Over the past decade, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance of Ohio has quietly built a network of allies on Wall Street, one that is distinct from his running mate, former President Donald Trump’s, circles.

Now, Vance’s fans are mobilizing to help him raise millions of dollars for the Trump-Vance presidential campaign.

On Thursday, Vance will headline two fundraisers in New York City hosted by some of his top supporters in the financial industry. Each of the events is expected to raise more than $1 million for Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign operation.

First up is a $10,000-a-plate-minimum breakfast co-hosted by investor Scott Bessent, Morgan Stanley’s Jonathan Burkan, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick and Norm Champ, a former director of the investment management division at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Couples must donate $50,000 to attend.

Later in the day, investor Keith Rabois, Palantir advisor Jacob Helberg and Burkan are among the co-hosts for a Trump campaign lunch, according to an invitation. Tickets range from $25,000 per person to $250,000 per couple.

“J.D. Vance has shown a strong commitment to advocating for policies that strengthen American workers and businesses,” Champ told CNBC. “His focus on economic revitalization and creating opportunities for growth aligns with values that many, including myself, support.”

Champ added, “looking ahead, I plan to continue supporting leaders like Vance who prioritize the needs of the American people.”

Another notable Vance supporter is Sander Gerber, the CEO of investment firm Hudson Bay Capital.

The two men met for the first time in New York during the 2022 midterm elections, when Vance mounted a successful Senate campaign in Ohio.

Gerber told CNBC he was impressed by the Ohio Republican’s story of overcoming a difficult childhood, the subject of Vance’s 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy” and a Netflix biopic released in 2020.

Gerber also said he was open to potentially hosting a campaign fundraiser headlined by Vance later this fall.

“I’m a big fan of JD, and I’ll do anything I can to help him,” he added.

One of Vance’s earliest interactions with Wall Street came shortly after the November 2016 presidential election, when he headlined a lunch in New York to discuss his newly published memoir.

Among the attendees were several senior figures at Goldman Sachs, according to a former executive there. This person, like some others in this story, were granted anonymity in order to speak on private matters.

The following year, Vance attended the famed Allen & Company business conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he rubbed elbows with leaders from a wide range of industries, including Wall Street.The connections Vance developed paid off when he decided to run…