Why Ohio produced so many presidents, and if it could help J.D. Vance win

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio is known for producing a disproportionate number of U.S. presidents, but a Donald Trump victory this election cycle would bring Ohio's first undisputed vice president.

The Ohio Statehouse claims eight U.S. presidents hailed from Ohio, which gave the Buckeye State another nickname: “Mother of Presidents.” Seven of them were born in Ohio, and William Henry Harrison settled in Ohio, securing another spot on the list.

However, Ohioan vice presidents are less common. Although some historians consider three former vice presidents to be from Ohio, some argue J.D. Vance would be its first.

"Ohio has always defined the 'from Ohio' question about presidents very broadly," James Melcher, who authored "Broken Cradle: Why is Ohio No Longer the ‘Mother of Presidents’?” said. "But if people want to say that he’s the first VP nominee to rise to prominence in Ohio, one could phrase it that way.”

Which Ohioans served in the White House?

The eight Ohio presidents were all elected within 100 years, mirroring Ohio's political importance at the time. Three presidents from Ohio even served consecutively, making an Ohioan the commander in chief from 1869 to 1881. All were elected between 1840 and 1924:

Fewer vice presidents have hailed from Ohio, and some argue none should "count." Charles Dawes (Calvin Coolidge), Charles Fairbanks (Theodore Roosevelt) and Thomas Hendricks (Grover Cleveland) were all born in the state but built their political careers largely in Indiana or Illinois.

History Curator Benjamin Baughman with the Ohio History Connection said he believes all three should be considered Ohioans. Dawes was born in Marietta and educated in Ohio, Fairbanks was born in Union County and Hendricks was born near Zanesville.

Either way, Vance would be the first Ohioan in the White House in nearly 100 years, with Dawes leaving in 1929. Vance is from Middletown and rose to prominence after chronicling his experience in Ohio in his memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." Vance is currently a senator, and if he assumes the vice presidency, Gov. Mike DeWine would select his replacement.

What made Ohio a political hotspot?

Particularly in the years after the Civil War, Ohio's centrality made it a major player in national politics. Baughman said Ohioans were often seen as more moderate, an attractive option for the often starkly different western frontier, rural south and urban northeast.

"Late 19th century Ohio, with its growing immigrant populations, its agricultural centers and its industrial developments, really served as a microcosm for the entire nation – more so than other states or regions at that time," Baughman said.

At the time, presidential candidates were selected with little input from the general public, so parties favored candidates who were likable and relatively passive. Melcher and Baughman also pointed to the military credentials of successful presidents at the time, and Ohio had plenty.

"Ohio supplied more soldiers to the Civil War that any other Union state per capita," Baughman said. "Several Ohio presidents – Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison, McKinley – all served in the military during the Civil War which made them attractive to voters as men who had aided in preserving the Union."

Ohio also had a large population, clocking in as the third most populous state in the U.S. census between 1840-1880 and the fourth largest from 1890-1940. Today it is the seventh most populous, and Baughman said dispersed U.S. populations made Ohio less politically relevant.

Have these factors helped Vance's vice presidential bid?

Baughman said Ohio's past political assets have not played a role in Vance's campaign, although Melcher said some similarities can be drawn. Melcher pointed to former governor John Kasich as an example of a more traditional Ohio politician, contrasting his "likability and coalition building" with Vance, whom he described as more polarizing.

“Instead of being a Civil War hero, he garnered fame for 'Hillbilly Elegy,' both the book and movie," Melcher said. "That success built name recognition just as the war heroes had. But even then, there was an ideological edge to his writing that was not there with the other Ohioans.”

Melcher also said Vance, similarly to Ohio's past president or vice president successes, benefits from Ohio's geographic location. Melcher said Ohio sitting so close to key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan is in Vance's favor.

However, Ohio's strategic positioning is less about what is in the state and more about what is around it, which differs from past Ohioan success stories. Melcher said previous candidates from Ohio were successful because they could bridge party lines, whereas Vance appeared to be selected because he would be loyal to Trump.

"Vance has some commonalities with the old Ohioans, but has more of the ideological edge to him that the current selection system values," Melcher said.