The Republican vice presidential candidate appeared alongside Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) on Thursday, speaking with residents and calling for more help for the area.

“This is a community that has long been left behind by the leadership of this country. People who have been forgotten, people who have been ignored, people who have been judged, despite the fact that they are the nicest people in the world,” Vance said. “I gave the mayor a hug, and I was talking to somebody else along with the mayor and she said, ‘We’re hillbillies and we’re proud of it.’ And I think this community shows you why people are proud of Appalachian values.”

Vance then expressed his belief that the community would be rebuilt better than before.

Youngkin thanked the Ohio Republican for his visit and help.

“Thank you, Sen. @JDVance, for coming to Virginia to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Helene and for standing with the people of Southwest Virginia during this challenging time. Your support is deeply appreciated as we work together to rebuild and recover,” he wrote.

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Hurricane Helene was the deadliest storm to hit the United States in years, killing over 200 people. The storm reached further inland than expected, wiping out communities hundreds of miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

The trip is a return to form for Vance, who made his name off of his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which covered his experience growing up in a broken home in Appalachia. The bestseller was made into a movie.