CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Hundreds of people lined up for President Trump’s latest visit to West Virginia.
Trump was rallying tonight at the Charleston Civic Center, focusing his attention on a new regulatory proposal loosening up requirements on power plant emissions and touting the U.S. Senate candidacy of Republican Patrick Morrisey.
Five hours before the start of the rally, the line to attend was stretched almost to center court of Charleston Town Center, across from the civic center.
Line for the Trump rally is indeed inside @CharlestonTC, 5 hours prior to the event pic.twitter.com/I3DWQeWUE7
— Brad McElhinny (@BradMcElhinny) August 21, 2018
Among those in line were Terressa Finley and Barbara Dillon of Wayne County, who were with a group of family friends. Each wore a shirt that said “Woman for Trump.”
They said they support the president’s positions on a variety of issues.
“Building the border wall, immigration, coal, jobs the economy, everything,” Finley said.
National polling shows that West Virginia’s support for Trump remains significantly higher than in the rest of the country.
The Morning Consult showed Trump with 63 percent approval in West Virginia as of July.
That was holding steady from a poll six months prior.
That was as West Virginia continues to try to climb out of population loss and a stagnant economy.
West Virginia lost about 18,000 residents since 2007 and was one of two states that lost population over the decade.
Dillon, one of the Wayne County residents at the Trump rally, said she supports Trump policies such as a wall along the border with Mexico, even though she lives in a state that is losing population. She said her position has more to do with a desire to see immigrants follow the law.
“We’re not against immigrants coming in. We want them to be screened as they come in, to come in legally. I’m not against immigrants,” Dillon said.
An overview released this week by the Appalachian Regional Commission showed some economic improvement for the region.
But it concluded that some counties in West Virginia continue to face serious struggles.
In West Virginia, 15 counties are considered economically distressed, an increase over last year.
The state’s unemployment rate is 5.4 percent. The national rate is 3.9 percent.
Finley and Dillon perceived improvement in the state’s economy.
“Our state has turned from upside down to the top, and I love that,” Dillon said.
“I just love everything he stands for. He might not be the best speaker, but I’m not voting for him for how he speaks. I vote for how he governs.”
Finley said she likes Trump’s priorities over his style.
“We didn’t want somebody politically correct,” she said. “We wanted someone in to do what he was asked to do.”
Another Trump supporter in the long line at the mall was Bryce Mattox, 16, of Richmond, Ky. He wore star spangled shirt and pants.
Mattox said he drove three hours from his home and then spent seven hours building up to the rally because he is motivated to vote two years from now.
“In 2020, I’m going to be voting for Trump. I’m going to be 18. I’m excited to see our president, and I believe what he stands for,” Mattox said.
Trump was touting a new proposal rolled out by the EPA that would give states increased flexibility over setting regulations on power plant emissions.
Mattox said that kind of policy strikes home because many of his neighbors and relatives are in the coal industry.
“I’m excited to hear stuff about coal mining,” he said. “Most of my family are coal miners.”