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Sofia Nelson (Photo: Neighborhood Defender Service) and J.D. Vance.
Sofia Nelson, a Detroit public defender, started a long-lasting friendship with J.D. Vance after they met at Yale Law School. For years, they corresponded by text and email. the New York Times reports. Nelson is transgender.
Nelson attended Vance's wedding in 2014, after they graduated law school. They visited each other's homes. Vance even brought baked goods to his friend after Nelson underwent transition-related surgery in 2012, the Times reports.
But they had a falling out, writes Stephanie Saul of the New York Times:
Nelson and Mr. Vance had a falling out in 2021, when Mr. Vance said publicly he supported an Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors, leading to a bitter exchange that deeply hurt Nelson.
“He achieved great success and became very rich by being a Never Trumper who explained the white working class to the liberal elite,” Nelson said, referring to Mr. Vance’s successful 2016 book. “Now he’s amassing even more power by expressing the exact opposite.”
In November 2022, Vance was elected to the Senate.
Nelson, who opposes the Trump-Vance ticket, has shared with the New York Times about 90 of their emails and text messages, primarily from 2014 through 2017. Some have Vance criticizing Trump for “racism” and as a “morally reprehensible human being.” Nelson hopes the private communications educate voters.
Luke Schroeder, a spokesman for the Vance campaign, responded:
“It’s unfortunate this individual chose to leak decade-old private conversations between friends to The New York Times. Senator Vance values his friendships with individuals across the political spectrum. He has been open about the fact that some of his views from a decade ago began to change after becoming a dad and starting a family, and he has thoroughly explained why he changed his mind on President Trump. Despite their disagreements, Senator Vance cares for Sofia and wishes Sofia the very best.”
