As a Clinton supporter, it annoys/concerns me how much rural and Conservative Democrats have abandoned her in Appalachia. Why would they vote for a socialist anyway? They don't agree with his policies certainly.
I think the actual question should be, why have so many rural and small town Democrats feel that the Democratic Party has abandoned them?
I spent much of my life in small town and rural Oregon and recall vividly how many lifelong Democrats in Southern Oregon, including many union members in Coos and Douglas county, felt that the Democratic president (Clinton) was taking the side of radical environmentalists versus working people.
Needless to say, the Timber industry and local Republican politicians tried to present the argument as jobs versus the environment, rather than talk frankly about the actual economic situation and why the logging and mill jobs were disappearing.
I see many similarities between the decline of the Timber industry in the PacNW and what is happening currently within Coal Country.
And quite frankly, these are parts of the country where the Unions came in after several generations of blood, sweat, and tears and " Ain't Done Nothing If You Ain't Been Called A Red" doesn't actually hold water with the history of the IWW, ILWU, UMWA, etc...
Socialist is a word that the company bosses and operators have been throwing around for a 100 years in many parts of the country to describe anyone that is a Union Man. 
Especially with Clinton and Trump as the symbols of what their parties stand for, the Democratic party and the Republican party are increasing the upscale and downscale parties respectively. Democrats are the party of the cosmopolitans, the professional class, the white collar voters. Republicans are the party of the blue collar, non-college educated, poor rural America.
LOL, Republicans consistently win the most affluent voters. 2014, 2012, 2010 all GOP landslides among wealthy voters.
