She Used to Be Friends With JD Vance

Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, and
Sofia Nelson, his transgender classmate at Yale Law School,
forged a bond that lasted a decade. In 2021, Mr. Vance’s support
for an Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors led to
their falling out.

Sofia Nelson, now a public defender in Detroit, discussed Mr.
Vance’s pivot, politically and personally, with The
Times.  


Background reading: 


JD Vance, an unlikely friendship, and how it ended.

Nelson shared with The Times about 90 emails and text
messages with Mr. Vance. Here are some of the most revealing
moments in their correspondence.

How Yale propelled Mr. Vance’s career. 



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