Opinion

DAVID MARCUS: Why JD Vance's reshoring message is a perfect fit for struggling small towns like St. Cloud

The Minnesota city's empty storefronts and factory closures echo what Vance addressed at the Republican midterm convention

By David Marcus Fox News

Published September 27, 2026 1:10pm EDT

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Three weeks ago in Dallas, at the midterm convention, Republicans chose to put Vice President JD Vance in the spotlight, to lead the troops to November. His speech, about the future of the nation, could have been addressed directly to the town of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and its environs.

In those remarks, referring to the future of his own kids, Vance said, "I want, whether they work in tech or manufacturing, American businesses to hire American workers, to rely on American people and to ensure that we build the next generation of great American products with American hands."

You can almost hear those words echoing around the historic downtown of 19th century red brick, and it is a bit of a puzzle, because usually it is fairly obvious whether a city of this size — about 80,000 souls — is ascending or descending. But St. Cloud seems, well, stuck in the middle.

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Chad O'Brien, a store owner in St. Cloud, Minnesota. (David Marcus)

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Metz & Co Vintage, a shop in St. Cloud, Minnesota. (David Marcus)

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