“God, a gun and Trump”, a dive into the heart of West Virginia

West Virginia (United States) rarely sees presidential candidates pass by. Its faces are those of a poor, working-class, white America, where the inhabitants feel forgotten. Direction the Demolition Derby, a car competition where the objective is to stamp on your opponents. Jaron Hamrick, a 22-year-old lumberjack, voted for Trump in the last presidential election and will do the same in November, due to the rise in the “cost of living“.

The Democrats have set up a stand, but are keeping a low profile.People are afraid to put up a poster of support in their garden, (…) because they are afraid that someone will put a bomb in front of their house.“West Virginia has long represented a peaceful and attractive America, but today many residents are worried about soaring inflation. Brandy Louk, who earns $1,200 a month working three jobs as a waitress, will also vote for Donald Trump. “He’s trying to help”she judges.

His father is a U.S. Army veteran who was deployed to Iraq in the early 2000s. He has numerous animal trophies on his wall, including a bear and deer. His gun collection includes crossbows and dozens of rifles. In West Virginia, semi-automatic weapons do not require a permit. He is convinced that Democrats will want to change the rule.A weapon to me is like my right arm and my left arm”he said. His sons also have names of weapons.

Next, head to McDowell County, the third poorest in the country. In 50 years, the population of the town of Welch has been divided by five, after the coal mines closed. The big supermarket is closed, the motels are empty, as is the airport. Martin West, a former miner turned sheriff, remembers a prosperous time, “a nice little town“, where we “found everything“.

In the 60s, Kennedy went down to talk in the mines, the inhabitants voted mostly Democrat. They feel they have been betrayed, after having enriched the capital. In 2016, Trump captured the disappointed electorate, promising that no more mines would be closed. With less than 2 million inhabitants, West Virginia will not swing the election, but the obvious anger of a part of the population could well be one of the keys to the vote, more undecided than ever.