As President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches, we can recall several great political lessons learned in 2024. Perhaps the most important one is that the American people have long been underestimated by the elites in media, government, universities, and corporations. These groups frequently clutch their pearls at controversies they deem important, but often misread the priorities of ordinary citizens. The 2024 election was no exception, and Springfield, Ohio, became the unlikely epicenter of this disconnect.
For months, then-Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) raised alarms about the tens of thousands of Haitian immigrants who had recently arrived in Springfield. The situation was straining local resources, but his concerns were largely ignored. Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck even wrote a letter to Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and then-Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), claiming a “surge in population through immigration” and that “communities like Springfield are set up to fail” if they don’t get help from the federal government.
Then, Vance tweeted about constituent reports of pets being killed by some of the new arrivals, and suddenly the media erupted. Outrage consumed the press, which labeled Vance and the Trump campaign as racists and liars and spun the story into a frenzy. Statements were taken out of context, and the narrative was twisted to discredit them. Yet, in their indignation, the media missed a crucial point: The controversy allowed the election to be framed on Republican terms.
I visited Springfield before the media storm had reached its peak. What I found was a community under immense pressure. Residents shared stories of geese being killed in public parks, frequent altercations in shopping centers, and frequent car accidents caused by unlicensed drivers among the newcomers. Medical staff described being overwhelmed by the sudden influx of patients, and new cases of communicable diseases had exploded. Locals felt abandoned by Mayor Rob Rue and the business community, which seemed more interested in foreign labor than supporting their own struggling citizens.
But the media fixated on one detail: pets. They mocked the Trump-Vance ticket, assuming the narrative would harm the campaign. They underestimated the American people. For many voters, the issue wasn’t about dogs and cats; it was about a broader sense of betrayal and neglect by elites who prioritize outsiders over their own communities.
This dynamic isn’t unique to Springfield. Across the country, elites have abdicated their responsibility to their own citizens. Business leaders prefer importing cheap labor over addressing the mental health and opioid addiction crises within their communities, taking the easy route rather than doing the necessary hard work. HIV cases skyrocketed in 2023 and 2024, but the media, which should challenge power, instead parroted the talking points of government officials when it suited their narrative.
Springfield’s mayor, who even comically claimed emergency powers during the media frenzy, and other local leaders downplayed or denied the struggles their community faced, and the press amplified their claims without question. Even when foreign actors were implicated in bomb threats in the area, blame was cast on Trump and Vance. During the vice presidential debate, moderators broke their own rules to “fact-check” Vance as he explained how the Biden administration had exploited legal loopholes to create tens of thousands of new refugees. They even cut his mic. But voters weren’t fooled.
The results speak for themselves. Trump won Clark County, home of Springfield, by a larger margin than in 2020. More significantly, he carried the city of Springfield itself, flipping a jurisdiction he had lost to President Joe Biden four years earlier. This wasn’t just a victory; it was a repudiation of the unfairness and double standards imposed by elites and their decision to cry racism even when our citizens were being negatively affected by their failed policies.
My own family’s story reflects the counternarrative. My parents came to this country nearly 50 years ago. They embraced the idea of assimilation, not to erase our cultural heritage, but to contribute fully to the American experience. They wanted my sister and I to be a part of the great melting pot. To this day, my father, a legal resident, stands for the national anthem, whether at a stadium or even in his living room before a televised football game. This kind of pride and commitment to one’s adopted country is lost among many of our leaders, and Springfield’s struggles highlight the consequences of a system that no longer prioritizes fairness and assimilation.
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The challenges in Springfield are emblematic of what’s happening in communities across America: overwhelmed resources, unchecked immigration, and leaders who refuse to listen to their constituents. We are hungry for Trump and Vance to focus on all the Springfields of this country. Their victory in 2024 showed that Americans are ready for leaders who prioritize them over the whims of disconnected elites.
Springfield is not just a story about one election; it’s a reminder of what’s at stake for our nation’s future. Let’s hope more of our leaders paid attention to this lesson.
Jai Chabria is a partner at MAD Global Strategy. He recently served as chief strategist and general consultant for J.D. Vance’s Senate campaign and continues to be a key advisor to the vice president-elect.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
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