Vance rallies Republicans in Ohio hometown ahead of midterms

Vice President JD Vance returned to his Ohio hometown Friday to sell Republicans’ economic message from the floor of a steel plant tied to his family history, previewing the role he is expected to play as the party fights to keep control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

Speaking in Middletown for the first time since becoming vice president, Vance highlighted a $1 billion investment by Cleveland-Cliffs, including government support, to upgrade the steel plant where his late grandfather once worked as a welder. Al Jazeera reported the investment was supported by $500 million in government awards, while NBC News described it as including a federal grant.

“Papaw was a welder in this place for 40 years, and today his grandson stands here as the vice president of these United States. It’s an amazing thing,” Vance said. “And I’m here with a message from the president of these United States: The future of America, the future of the United States, the future of our homes and communities is going to be built right here in Middletown, Ohio.”

Vance framed the project as evidence that President Donald Trump’s policies are rebuilding manufacturing communities. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy — or it’s all going to happen overnight — but in just 18 months, we have seen an explosion of rebuilding in the American heartland,” he said.

The appearance came as polls show the economy remains the top issue before the midterms, but Republican advantages on economic stewardship have narrowed or disappeared. Al Jazeera cited Pew Research Center polling showing that before Trump’s second term, voters were more likely to favor Republican economic policies, while a July survey found 37% backed the Democratic approach and 36% backed Republicans. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this month also found slightly more respondents siding with Democrats on economic policy and put Trump’s approval rating at 35%.

Vance took a different tone from Trump, who has called affordability concerns a Democratic “hoax” and “con job.” “We got a lot of work to do, but we’re making progress on all the things that matter the most,” Vance said, citing efforts to make homeownership more affordable.

He also urged support for Republican candidates in Ohio, including Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to Vance’s former Senate seat and is running to keep it, and Vivek Ramaswamy, the party’s nominee for governor. Husted appeared with Vance at the rally. Democrats are targeting both the governor’s office and the Senate seat, whose November winner will serve the rest of Vance’s term, which would have ended in 2028.

Vance attacked Husted’s Democratic rival, former Sen. Sherrod Brown, accusing him of being among politicians “who pretend to be friends of the workers in this facility.” He said Brown “never once raised his voice against Joe Biden’s border crisis or against the inflation that was brought on by Joe Biden underinvesting and trying to destroy American industry.”

Vance also criticized Democrats more broadly. “This is not, unfortunately, JFK or FDR’s Democrat party,” he said. “Hell, it’s not even Bill Clinton’s Democrat Party.” He singled out Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, repeating a claim that Al Jazeera reported was false: that El-Sayed had called for “Sharia law” in the United States.

The Middletown stop recalled Vance’s role as Trump’s 2024 running mate, when his first solo event was held at his high school alma mater and he spent much of the campaign in Midwestern battlegrounds and similar parts of Pennsylvania. NBC News reported that Republicans see Vance’s background as an asset with blue-collar voters. Energy Secretary Chris Wright introduced him Friday as “the leader of the reindustrializing the United States of America.”

Vance, who recently welcomed a fourth child with second lady Usha Vance, is also the first sitting vice president to serve as Republican National Committee finance chair, a post that will require extensive fundraising as Republicans test their midterm message.

Trump is also putting his influence on the line in South Carolina, where he is campaigning for appointed Sen. Darline Graham ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff. Graham, encouraged by Trump to run for the seat of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, led the first round with 33% against Rep. Ralph Norman’s 25%. NBC News reported that internal polling has shown Graham both ahead of and trailing Norman, and that one Republican strategist warned Norman could win.

Graham has faced questions after saying in a debate, “I’m not that informed on national security,” and, “National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise.” Trump’s endorsement will also be tested Tuesday in Oklahoma’s Republican runoff for governor, where former state Sen. Mike Mazzei faces state Attorney General Gentner Drummond.