Vance as VP pick puts Ohio back into presidential election spotlight

“I’m beside myself I’m so excited,” said Butler County Auditor Nancy Nix, who lived in Middletown for 23 years, about the Vance announcement. “This puts Middletown on the map. I love it for Middletown. I couldn’t be happier.”

While local and state Republican leaders say they are excited and proud Trump selected Vance, one local Democratic leader called Vance “wrong for Ohio, wrong for the country.”

Democratic leaders turned back the pages of history and pointed to what Vance said about Trump eight years ago when Vance openly criticized Trump.

Not long ago, Vance considered himself “never a Trump guy.”

Then, in 2022, when Vance geared up for his 2022 Senate run, he deleted controversial tweets and credited Trump for the work he did as president.

Southwest Ohio roots

After reading Vance’s best-selling book about his life growing up in Middletown and Kentucky, “Hillbilly Elegy,” Nix said she started supporting him years ago. When he announced he was running for U.S. Senate, she hosted a fundraiser for him at her Butler County home.

“He has the values for Southwest Ohio and for the working class,” Nix said. “When I listen to him, I hang on every word.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine congratulated Vance, and said he will bring a new generational perspective to the ticket.

“JD is a father, military veteran, best-selling author, and has served Ohio well as our U.S. senator.” DeWine said in a statement. “In addition, JD’s unique life story will resonate with Republicans and independent voters across the country.”

Rodney Muterspaw, a former Middletown police chief and city council member, called Vance “a fantastic choice” for vice president.

“He sees both sides,” said Muterspaw, noting Vance has been opposed to Trump in the past.

Muterspaw hopes those who don’t like Vance due to his book and how it portrayed Middletown “give the guy a chance.”

State Rep.Thomas Hall, R-Madison Twp. in Butler County, said Trump selecting Vance was “an historic day” for Middletown and the entire region.

The selection puts Middletown on the map “for all the right reasons,” Hall said.

He believes for Trump to win the presidential election in November, he needs someone to help him carry some of the swing states.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost called Vance a perfect pick, saying he’s “tough, smart and high energy.”

“He knows what it’s like to have to fight, what it’s like to win, and what it’s like to serve,” Yost said.

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “Ohio’s JD Vance is a great American!”

Flipflop on Trump support

Not everyone was pleased with Vance’s selection.

U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati, said following the assassination attempt of Trump, President Joe Biden and others called for unity.

“Mr. Vance is not a unity selection,’ Landsman said of his constituent. “He gained fame and wealth by disrespecting Southwest Ohio, and he made national headlines when he compared Donald Trump to Hitler during the 2016 election. The brand of politics Mr. Vance has practiced does not meet the seriousness of this moment.”

The leader of the Ohio Democratic Party ripped Trump’s choice, calling Vance “an out-of-touch millionaire who launched his political career by taking advantage of Ohio’s opioid crisis and has spent his time in the Senate humiliating himself in the service of a convicted felon instead of working to improve the quality of life for Ohioans,” Elizabeth Walters said in a statement.

“Ohio has buyers’ remorse,” she said. “Donald Trump and the country will, too.”

Kathy Wyenandt, chair of the Butler County Democratic Party, said Vance is “wrong for Ohio and wrong for the country.” She called him Trump’s “puppy dog.”

Middletown support

When Vance launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate, he announced at Phillips Tube Group Inc. in Middletown.

That company’s CEO, Angela Phillips, said she has remained close to Vance ever since and twice has visited his office in Washington, D.C., to talk about manufacturing and how the government can help the industry.

She called Vance “a great friend” to the industry.

Since Trump is 78, and Vance is 39, Phillips believes Vance will “fill the gap” between generations and attract younger voters. She said Vance relates to younger business owners.

When Vance was 16, he started working as a cashier at Dillman Foods on Central Avenue in Middletown.

Store owner Steve Dillman said Vance, who worked there about one year, was “a good kid who was low maintenance.”

This despite being raised in a difficult home. His mother was a drug addict and he was raised by his grandmother.

“We are very proud of him,” Dillman said.

He believes Vance has the ability to bring “stability and common sense” to Washington from Ohio, which has produced eight U.S. presidents..

When he found out

Vance told Fox News his 7-year-old son was being noisy in the background when Trump called to offer him the vice president spot on the Republican ticket. He said Trump asked to speak to his son.

“The guy just got shot a couple of days ago, and he takes the time to talk to my seven-year-old,” Vance said.

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

He said he and Trump have been close since Trump endorsed him in his 2022 Senate race, which he said he would not have won without Trump’s support.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.