PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel has donated $10 million to a super PAC supporting “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance in his possible bid for the Republican nomination for a Senate seat in Ohio.
Mr. Thiel gave the donation to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC formed last month to support Mr. Vance’s potential bid, a source familiar with the PAC confirmed.
“All signs point to J.D. launching a run in the coming months,” the source said.
The family of hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, key supporters of former President Donald Trump, also have made a significant contribution to the super PAC, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
The large donations could serve as a warning to other potential candidates for the Senate seat that Mr. Vance won’t be outspent in what’s expected to be a crowded GOP field next year. Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio recently announced he won’t seek another term in 2022.
Former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and former Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken are other well-known candidates who have announced Senate bids. Bernie Moreno, a Cleveland-area businessman and car dealer, also is expected to run.
Mr. Vance, a venture capitalist in Cincinnati, is best known for his best-selling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” which was turned into a Netflix movie featuring Amy Adams and Glenn Close. It depicts his family’s roots in Appalachia and their struggles.
Protect Ohio Values describes its mission on its website: “We’re a network of grassroots conservatives committed to electing a Senator who will stand for and defend Ohio’s values in Washington, DC. We believe J. D. Vance is the right man for the job and we are signing up supporters and raising funds to demonstrate a groundswell of support in the Buckeye State.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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