 Obviously, that makes Senator Vance a rising star in the party, win or lose. In 2022, Trump's endorsement of Vance, now 39, enabled him to emerge from a crowded primary field to win his U.S. Senate seat. State Senator Matt Dolan was one of several to challenge Vance then. Dolan, more Trump-averse than most Republicans, says he believes Vance is a, quote, smart young man with the state's interests at heart.