Beth Macy, a Democratic contender for Virginia's 6th Congressional District in 2026, has been likened to a liberal counterpart of Vice President JD Vance, as reported by Politico.
Macy's career spans 25 years as an award-winning journalist for the Roanoke Times, and she has authored five nonfiction books, including "Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America," which delves into the decline of her hometown, Urbana, Ohio. Vance, in a similar vein, penned "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," which examines the socioeconomic challenges of his hometown, Middletown, Ohio.
According to the Daily Caller, Silas House, a bestselling Appalachian author, remarked to Politico that Macy is "the opposite of JD Vance." Shannon Anderson, a sociologist at Roanoke College and a friend of Macy, told the outlet that Macy represents "what JD Vance could have been."
Neither Vance's spokesperson nor Macy's campaign responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment. In a September 2024 opinion piece for The New York Times, Macy explored her divergent path from Vance, writing, "I Grew Up Much Like JD Vance. How Did We End Up So Different?" She expressed her frustration with "Hillbilly Elegy" in an August 2022 interview with the NYT, stating that the book makes her feel "angry" whenever she thinks about it.
Macy criticized Vance for attributing Appalachia's struggles to a "crisis of masculinity and lack of thrift," while ignoring the exploitative practices of out-of-state coal and pharmaceutical companies and the politicians who failed to regulate them. "He took his stereotype-filled false narratives to the bank," Macy told the NYT.
In an interview with Cardinal News published on November 18, Macy expressed her belief that Americans have "lost faith in politics" and the government, attributing this disillusionment to the issues she has long documented. She added, "the system just isnt working for large numbers of people." Andrea Pitzer, an author and journalist, and one of Macy's closest friends, told Politico that the current political climate makes it possible for someone like Macy to transition from narrative journalist to congresswoman. "People are angry and people are aching to have somebody whos willing to listen to them," Pitzer said.
Lon Wagner, a former reporter for the Virginian-Pilot and another close friend of Macy, described her as an "intense listener" to Politico. "I find myself telling Beth more deeply about something thats happening in my life than I would almost anybody else," Wagner said. He believes that if Macy can translate this skill into listening to constituents, she could make a significant impact. House also told Politico that Macy "embodies the working class" in a way that Vance does not. "Even though he came from the working class, he condescends to it," House said, criticizing Vance's portrayal of his own family and Appalachian people in "Hillbilly Elegy." In contrast, House praised Macy's work, particularly "Dopesick," for its honest depiction of Appalachia without romanticizing or vilifying the region.
When asked if she could become a JD Vance for Democrats, Macy told Politico that she believes Vance is "just kind of pontificating." She emphasized her commitment to engaging with people, experts, and those on the ground, stating, "I wasnt trying to launch a career. I was just, like, doing my job."
Macy's campaign platform includes pledges to "make life affordable again for working families, expand access to health and mental health care," and "invest in rural communities." However, as Politico reported, Virginia's 6th Congressional District has not elected a Democrat since 1990.
Democratic Virginia Senator Tim Kaine has already endorsed Macy in her congressional bid, as reported by The News Leader on December 11. Additionally, former President Barack Obama included Macy's "Paper Girl" among his favorite books of 2025, further elevating her profile in the political and literary arenas.
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