West Virginia

West Virginia is a landlocked state located in the southern and mid-Atlantic regions of the US. The state separated from Virginia during the Civil War and became part of the Union in June 1863. It was one of only two regions that became states during the war.

The state has shifted its political loyalties between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. West Virginia was a Republican stronghold from 1900 until the Great Depression (1929-1939) and then supported Democratic candidates in elections.

The state returned to supporting the Republican Party in 1996, when it voted for Bill Clinton’s second term, and remained red from 2000 to 2016. Republican candidate Donald Trump defeated Democrats Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 by margins of 42% and 39%, respectively. It is considered a safe Republican state.

West Virginia had five electoral votes in the 2020 election. Due to a decline in population growth as recorded by the 2020 Census, the state will have four electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election.