A higher percentage of West Virginia Poll respondents regard Donald Trump as the best president they’ve ever known, higher than the responses for Republican predecessors Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush combined.
Thirty-three percent of respondents said Trump has done the best job as president in their lifetime.
Reagan received 14% of the response, George H.W. Bush 6% and George H.W. Bush 3% — 23% if you add them together.
“President Trump’s popularity and electoral power is well documented in the Mountain State. His support and lasting popularity in West Virginia is unrivaled when compared to any of the other 49 states,” said Rex Repass, chief consultant for Research America, which conducts the MetroNews West Virginia Poll.
“Trump’s presidencies have been about maintaining a campaigning posture throughout his terms, and hammering his consistent signature policy points is unique in American political history.”
Barack Obama, a Democrat, received the second highest score overall on the poll question with 20 percent.
Joe Biden, the most recent Democratic president, received 2 percent.
Democrats Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy each received 9% support among respondents.
Trump’s overall support in the poll could be a matter of recency because he has been both the 45th and 47th president and has been the Republican nominee for the past three general elections.
But West Virginia has a track record of enormous voting margins for Trump in each of those past three elections.
In the general elections of 2016, 2020 and 2024, Donald Trump won West Virginia by margins of about 42%, 39% and 42% respectively.
West Virginia has become a solid red state, meaning that Republican candidates have been dominating elections.
But the state used to be much less predictable with its presidential votes:
2024, 2020 and 2016, Trump, a Republican; 2012 Republican Mitt Romney; 2012 Republican John McCain; 2004 and 2000 George W. Bush; 1996 and 1992 Democrat Bill Clinton; 1988 Democrat Michael Dukakis; 1984 Reagan; 1980 and 1976 Democrat Jimmy Carter; 1972 Republican Richard Nixon; 1968 Democrat Hubert Humphrey.
Trump’s overall favorability rating in West Virginia remains strong.
Fifty-seven percent of poll respondents regarded Trump favorably compared to 38% who regard him unfavorably and just 6% who said they don’t know.
In comparison, Vice President J.D. Vance received 45% approval and 30% disapproval with 25% saying they don’t know.
Those numbers relate to how people view the political figures in terms of their likeability.
A separate question about job performance had similar results: 55% approving of Trump’s job performance and 37% disapproving.
For Vance, the result was slightly slower: 51% job approval and 33% disapproval with 16% saying they don’t know.
On key issues being handled by the Trump administration, poll respondents are split:
52% approve of the administration’s handling of the Iran nuclear facility bombings, with 31% disapproving.
52% approve of the administration’s approach to immigration, with 37% disapproving.
46% approve of the administration’s trade negotiations, with 35% disapproving.
43% approve of the situation in the Middle East, with 35% disapproving.
43% approve of the government spending situation, with 42% disapproving.
42% approve of the economy with 45% disapproving.
38% approve of the administration’s use of executive orders, with 41% disapproving.
“The Trump Administration is perceived favorably by a clear majority of West Virginia voters, and there is support for most of the major campaign positions taken by Trump,” Repass said.
“However, there is a wait and see attitude about the how this Administration is cutting government spending, managing the economy, and using Executive Orders to bypass Congress where possible.”
The MetroNews West Virginia Poll, sponsored by High Technology Foundation, is based on a sample of 400 participants across 55 counties from August 8 to 21. The overall confidence interval is +/- 4.85 percentage points.