WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the last Chevy Cruze rolled off the production line in Lordstown on Wednesday, a new sense of concern rolled in to Capitol Hill.

Ohio’s members of Congress still have hope the plant can reopen, but little evidence to show.

“I have a very open mind as to what production might go in there,” said Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-09). “General Motors came here with very high level staff. We talked about this. They are looking across their global platform and hopefully they will find alternative production to go in there, or perhaps another automotive company.”

Kaptur’s role as co-chair of the House Auto Caucus and chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development means she has a unique perspective on what could help keep Lordstown alive.

“If there are ways that we can work to help a company make more money at that site by reducing some of their cost of doing business, that’s a possibility,” she said.

But is GM willing to stick around?

In a conference call with reporters on Friday, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-13) — whose district includes the Lordstown plant — said he’s “very concerned” about the future, but hoping GM will consider building its new electric vehicles in Lordstown.

“The best thing for us is to help General Motors grow in the future around the new technology in the Mahoning Valley,” Ryan said. “And that’s my goal, is to work with them. And if not them, someone else.”

At the heart of this is the over 1,600 employees and their families who are now without work.

Ryan had a guest on his conference call who has worked for GM for 12 years. Lordstown was the fourth plant he’s been moved to, and now he’s selling his house and potentially moving again.

“President Trump — he came to Youngstown and said that the jobs were coming back,” said John DeGarmo, the laid off employee. “He told us not to sell our houses. But I look around — I’m in the Lordstown facility right now, it’s my last day at work — and it’s turning into a ghost town.”

Ryan said on Friday that he sent Trump a new letter asking for help about a week ago, but hasn’t heard back yet.

He said the country needs “an aggressive, national strategy around electric vehicles,” or car manufacturing in the U.S. could go under.

Kaptur echoed his concerns.

“It’s one of the major sectors of our economy, so we can’t afford to say, ‘Well, let’s just outsource everything,’” she said. “Because it would be like you take the spine out of the country. You can’t do that.”

Kaptur and Ryan both said they are continuing to talk with GM.

But a lot is riding on contract negotiations between the United Autoworkers Union and General Motors this summer.