Ohio lawmakers on both sides of the aisle issued statements of disappointment to General Motors' announcement, along with support for the thousands of workers who will be affected.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), offered the most scathing reaction, saying "it's shameful that the company is now abandoning the Mahoning Valley and laying off workers right before the holidays. Even worse, the company reaped a massive tax break from last year’s GOP tax bill and failed to invest that money in American jobs, choosing to build its Blazer in Mexico,” said Brown. 

 “GM owes the community answers on how the rest of the supply chain will be impacted and what consequences its disastrous decision will have on the Mahoning Valley and our state.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) echoed that sentiment, saying, "for decades, workers in the Mahoning Valley have made a commitment to GM, and today GM let Northeast Ohio down." He also urged GM to at least reallocate some of the production and employees to the GM plant in Toledo.

Republican Gov. John Kasich said the state has set up job centers to help laid-off workers find new jobs as quickly as possible. "Even though this is frustrating news, hardworking, skilled men and 

women are in demand, and we’re going to do everything we can to help the families affected have access to other opportunities,” he said.

Governor-Elect Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor-Elect Jon Husted were in Warren earlier this month for their "Drive It Home" rally, an effort to keep the plant open. "The auto workers there are second to none," he said Monday, adding that he and Husted plan to attend the North American International Auto Show in Detroit January to make their case to GM in person.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, who represents the area, said, “Today our generation is facing a new Black Monday in the Mahoning Valley, GM’s announcement is devastating for the men and women working at Lordstown and everyone here in the Mahoning Valley.”

Ryan said GM turned its back on the Valley.

“This is a bad combination of greedy corporations and policy makers with no understanding of economic development.” 

General Motors announced Monday it will lay off 14,700 factory and white-collar workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as

it restructures to cut costs and focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles.