Could West Virginia be Trump's best state against Hillary?

[RR1997]

Just for reference, here were Romney's top 5 states:
1. Utah
2. Wyoming
3. Oklahoma
4. Idaho
5. West Virginia

West Virginia was Romney's 5th best state. Could it be Trump's best state?

You guys have to remember that Bain Capital (Romney's company) was a pioneer in outsourcing/offshoring jobs. Romney was responsible for outsourcing a lot of jobs. He was also anti-protectionist. West Virginia is a staunchly protectionist state. WV has been hurt by globalization more than any other state. Trump is the perfect candidate for the coal country. WV is the epitome of a right-wing populist state.

As we all know, Mormons hate Trump with a huge passion. Utah is going to heavily swing towards Hillary. Idaho also has a lot of Mormoms, so Hillary might do quite a bit better in this state. Trump has been underperforming in the west, so Wyoming might slightly swing towards Hillary. Not to mention that Wyoming has a decent Mormon population.

West Virginia might be one of the few states where Trump could actually do better than Romney in.

I think it's possible that WV is going to be Trump's best state. What do you guys think?

[/]

Possibly that or OK.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

[DINGO Joe]

Well, WV is dumb and desperate so they seem to good bet to be top. 

That kid down in Florida, the one they called "Blaxican" for awhile (for reasons I know not), said he was supporting Trump cuz he just wants the whole thing blown up.  His family came from WV.  That seems like a typical mindset in WV these days.  If we're gonna go down, try to take the whole thing down.

[SingingAnalyst]

Just for reference, here were Romney's top 5 states:
1. Utah
2. Wyoming
3. Oklahoma
4. Idaho
5. West Virginia

West Virginia was Romney's 5th best state. Could it be Trump's best state?

You guys have to remember that Bain Capital (Romney's company) was a pioneer in outsourcing/offshoring jobs. Romney was responsible for outsourcing a lot of jobs. He was also anti-protectionist. West Virginia is a staunchly protectionist state. WV has been hurt by globalization more than any other state. Trump is the perfect candidate for the coal country. WV is the epitome of a right-wing populist state.

As we all know, Mormons hate Trump with a huge passion. Utah is going to heavily swing towards Hillary. Idaho also has a lot of Mormoms, so Hillary might do quite a bit better in this state. Trump has been underperforming in the west, so Wyoming might slightly swing towards Hillary. Not to mention that Wyoming has a decent Mormon population.

West Virginia might be one of the few states where Trump could actually do better than Romney in.

I think it's possible that WV is going to be Trump's best state. What do you guys think?

All 5 of these states will probably finish in the 60s for Trump. It is certainly conceivable that WV could be Number One.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

West Virginia needs something like a Louisville to set it straight.

[SingingAnalyst]

West Virginia needs something like a Louisville to set it straight.

Yeah, but the state capitol dome in Charleston is beautiful as seen from I-77, just saying.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Remember when West Virginia and Arkansas were going to be competitive for Clinton?

[DINGO Joe]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

While rhetoric in Kentucky always bleets about coal in reality it's not anywhere as vital to the state's functioning as it is to WV.  Yes, there are about 20 counties in the East part of the state that are dying because of coal, but they don't make up much of the state's population.  The triangle from NKY to Louisville to Lexington is the core of the state population wise and economic wise and it has little to no involvement in coal.  The WKY coal counties while not thriving actually have about the same number of miners now as when Obama was elected.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

While rhetoric in Kentucky always bleets about coal in reality it's not anywhere as vital to the state's functioning as it is to WV.  Yes, there are about 20 counties in the East part of the state that are dying because of coal, but they don't make up much of the state's population.  The triangle from NKY to Louisville to Lexington is the core of the state population wise and economic wise and it has little to no involvement in coal.  The WKY coal counties while not thriving actually have about the same number of miners now as when Obama was elected.

Problem with Kentucky is that its remaining coal mines are nonunion. Kentucky has no remaining unionized coal mines. Zero. None.

[Gass3268]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

While rhetoric in Kentucky always bleets about coal in reality it's not anywhere as vital to the state's functioning as it is to WV.  Yes, there are about 20 counties in the East part of the state that are dying because of coal, but they don't make up much of the state's population.  The triangle from NKY to Louisville to Lexington is the core of the state population wise and economic wise and it has little to no involvement in coal.  The WKY coal counties while not thriving actually have about the same number of miners now as when Obama was elected.

You are also forgetting the western coal mine region in the state and there are some major cities in that area (Bowling Green, Owensboro, etc)

[Bandit3 the Worker]

You are also forgetting the western coal mine region in the state and there are some major cities in that area (Bowling Green, Owensboro, etc)

The central cities vote like central cities elsewhere though, especially Bowling Green since it's a college town. (The suburbs sadly are a different story.)

[DINGO Joe]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

While rhetoric in Kentucky always bleets about coal in reality it's not anywhere as vital to the state's functioning as it is to WV.  Yes, there are about 20 counties in the East part of the state that are dying because of coal, but they don't make up much of the state's population.  The triangle from NKY to Louisville to Lexington is the core of the state population wise and economic wise and it has little to no involvement in coal.  The WKY coal counties while not thriving actually have about the same number of miners now as when Obama was elected.

You are also forgetting the western coal mine region in the state and there are some major cities in that area (Bowling Green, Owensboro, etc)

I didn't forget them, that's what my last sentence referred to.  In 2008, WKY averaged 3,357 miners.  In the 4Q of 2015 they had 3,324.  Actually produced more coal in 2015 than 2008 (darn technology).  By comparison EKY went from 14,381 miners in 2008 to 5,077 in 4Q of 2015.

BTW, Kentucky does a very impressive job of tracking everything about the coal industry

http://energy.ky.gov/Pages/CoalFacts.aspx

There is a big difference between coal counties listed on that map and counties that actually still produce coal.

[DINGO Joe]

I'm geographically pretty close, and I have a hard time seeing West Virginia as Trump's best state. I know he has to have a best state somewhere, but that's not it.

While rhetoric in Kentucky always bleets about coal in reality it's not anywhere as vital to the state's functioning as it is to WV.  Yes, there are about 20 counties in the East part of the state that are dying because of coal, but they don't make up much of the state's population.  The triangle from NKY to Louisville to Lexington is the core of the state population wise and economic wise and it has little to no involvement in coal.  The WKY coal counties while not thriving actually have about the same number of miners now as when Obama was elected.

Problem with Kentucky is that its remaining coal mines are nonunion. Kentucky has no remaining unionized coal mines. Zero. None.

While I'm not a right-to-worker, I don't see unionization being of much help, especially in the East.  They're just going after scraps out there.

[tpfkaw]

Probably Wyoming.

[Figueira]

It could be, sure. I'd probably bet on Wyoming, though.

[tpfkaw]

Wyoming is actually the state that nowadays has the most coal-mining-intensive economy, just as a bit of trivia.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It's still quite amazing how in just a couple of cycles West Virginia went from a Democratic stronghold into one of the GOP's best states.

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

i'm going with wyoming

[Virginiá]

It's still quite amazing how in just a couple of cycles West Virginia went from a Democratic stronghold into one of the GOP's best states.

It is, and one of a few places where I actually cheer their downfall. I'm still puzzled as to exactly what Democrats have done to improve that state, either at the state or federal level. They had chances and if they actually cared, it should have been one of the first things to be addressed in 2006 - 2010 in Congress.

However, not to say I think Republicans will be better. I think they'll ultimately be even worse given their unwavering commitment to (some) failed economic policies. Democrats need to kiss ass and earn their power back at this point.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho all seem like states where there could potentially be a third-party conservative candidate who would take maybe 5% of the vote if Trump is the nominee, maybe more if the candidate were actually well-known. If that happens, then I could absolutely see West Virginia becoming Trump's best state.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'll go with Oklahoma

[ag]

At the very least, this is a strong possibility.

[bagelman]

I wouldn't be surprised if WV votes 70% for Trump

[socaldem]

Utah has been the Republicans’ best state, percentage margins wise, in nine of the last ten elections.

I would stick with guessing that it will be No. 1 once again in 2016.

I actually expect Utah and Idaho to gradually shift towards Dems. While Romney did awesome in 2012, these states are actually trending ever-so-slightly towards the Dems, as the tech industries in Salt Lake and Boise continue to grow. Boise and SLC also have burgeoning gay and minority communities,.