COULUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) – “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance has gained the long-awaited and much contested endorsement of former president Donald Trump in Ohio’s Republican Senate primary.

Despite past comments made by Vance against the former president, in a released statement Trump described Vance as the most qualified and ready to win in November. Trump said, “It’s all about winning.”

Trump also said that Vance “may have said some not so great things about me in the past.”  He added that Vance “gets it now, and I have seen that in spades.”

Vance is expected to win the Republican primary on May 3 with Trump’s endorsement and then go on to face Democrat Tim Ryan in November for the Senate seat vacated by the retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman.