Residents of the tiny Ohio town that vice-president elect J.D. Vance hailed from, and made famous in his best-selling "Hillbilly Elegy" memoir, expressed dismay that he did little for them during his two years in the U.S. Senate representing their state.
As the Guardian's Stephen Starr reported, under normal circumstances the residents of Middletown, Ohio would be bursting with pride that a local had become vice president, but instead the town –– where 38 percent of voters instead voted for the Democratic ticket –– has mostly ignored his historic achievement.
According to Starr, it took an appeal from Vance's mother and a few others to get the town fathers to do anything to celebrate the local boy who made good.
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"The City of Middletown waited a full month before publicly acknowledging Vance and Trump’s election success on its Facebook page. One council member who supports Vance called that 'unacceptable'," the report states before adding, "City council members declined to respond to Vance’s mother’s request at that time, though the city has since said it was discussing plans to mark Vance’s new position that include erecting street signs."
According to one local, there is little reason to be proud.
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“When I look around and want to see what this quote-unquote financial heavy hitter has done for this community, I’m still looking,” remarked Dr Celeste Didlick-Davis who added, "Other individuals, a variety of people who have done substantial things, have supported growth and transformation [in Middletown]. To know what [Vance] has done for this community, I’d have to really, really research and I shouldn’t have to really, really research. You’ve had two years as a senator – have we had one visit that benefits someone?”
Scotty Robertson, a member of the local Democratic party, understandably had little good to say about Vance.
“He comes back when he needs to make a political speech. If someone would take me to one thing that JD Vance has made better in Middletown, I’d retract everything I’ve said about him," Roberston admitted.
Vance's position on immigrants has also hit a sour note with locals, with Adriane Scherrer, a business owner, telling the Guardian, "I’m hearing from people who are concerned that their grandmom is going to get deported. That is really sending chills up people’s spines."
“There is no sign on the part of [Trump or Vance] that they understand the importance of immigration in our country. What worries people the most is that there’s no recognition of the damage that deportations would do," Scherrer continued.
Summing up what Vance has done, Didlick-Davis suggested, "I just see my community being overlooked and underserved.”
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