Vance’s past anti-Trump comments could sway on-the-fence Americans to vote red: Sen. Johnson

MILWAUKEE— Republican Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson brushed off vice presidential nominee JD Vance's anti-Trump comments from 2016, arguing Vance's evolution with Trump could sway on-the-fence Americans to vote red. 

"I think it's admirable that people grow and they change their opinions. And I credit him with that. That's not going to be a problem at all. He just might help other people change their opinions of Donald Trump, who had to be changed after what happened on Saturday night," Johnson told Fox News Digital from the RNC. 

"That is a life-changing event for anybody. You got President Trump now, if he wins re-election, he doesn't have to worry about re-election. That's liberating, and he has to believe that God saved him for a reason, for this moment," he continued, referring to the assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday. 

As Vance's national prominence rose in 2016 following the release of his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," he was critical of Trump's presidential run, including describing himself as a "Never Trump guy." The senator has since totally disavowed his comments, and underscored to voters that he's unafraid to admit when he is wrong. 

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Vance has taken the previous comments head-on during interviews with the media, including during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier last month. 

"Look, I was wrong about Donald Trump," Vance said. "I didn’t think he was gonna be a good president, Bret. He was a great president. And it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets a second term."

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Johnson added that Vance is a man of "integrity," noting Trump "chose wisely" when weighing his vice presidential pick. 

"I hate to lose him as a colleague. That pretty much says it all. He's a person of integrity, intelligence. He's a great vice presidential pick. President Trump had a wealth of talent to choose from, and I think he chose wisely," Johnson said while speaking to a gaggle of reporters from the RNC. 

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Trump announced Vance as his running mate on Monday, which marked the start of the Republican National Convention. 

"After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio," Trump announced on his Truth Social platform Monday afternoon. 

Trump's announcement comes on the heels of an assassination attempt on his life Saturday evening in Pennsylvania. Trump came within inches of losing his life when a shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, shot at him, hitting him in the ear. The Secret Service subsequently shot and killed Crooks.