By Annie Rupertus, Bangor Daily News Staff BREWER — Affordability was on the minds of attendees at Vice President JD Vance’s Brewer rally on Monday, underscoring the headwinds Republicans face heading into a midterm election shaped by high prices and the unpopular Iran war.

By Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News Staff Eight years ago, JD Vance was doing frequent interviews in the wake of “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling memoir that was seen by many as essential to understanding the rising political appeal of Donald Trump.