Rising costs and political disengagement threaten Republican support in JD Vance’s Ohio hometown

The article reports from Middletown, Ohio, where JD Vance spent part of his childhood, and describes residents facing rising housing costs, low incomes and political disengagement. It argues that these conditions could weaken Republican support in a state Donald Trump has repeatedly won, with consequences for upcoming races and Vance’s political prospects.

Vance’s former home is now vacant after its last tenants reportedly left because they could no longer afford the rising rent. Middletown’s median household income is about $57,000, more than $14,000 below Ohio’s median, and around one in six residents lives in poverty. The article also points to polling that puts Democrat Sherrod Brown ahead of Republican Jon Husted in the Senate race, while Vance ally Vivek Ramaswamy faces a competitive governor’s contest.