West Virginia was once considered competitive territory for Democrats.
In 2000, the state came close to backing Al Gore for president. For generations, Democrats relied on the political strength of coal country, organized labor, and working-class communities throughout the Mountain State.
That political landscape has changed dramatically.
Over the past decade, roughly 250,000 West Virginians have left the Democratic Party’s voter rolls, according to the figures cited in a new analysis. The decline represents about 17% of the party’s registered voters in the state between 2016 and 2026.
