West Virginia voters laud Trump for trying to save coal

DANVILLE, W.Va. (AP) — Four years after Donald Trump donned a miner’s helmet at a West Virginia campaign rally and vowed to save a dying industry, coal has not come roaring back. The fuel has been outmatched against cheaper, cleaner natural gas and renewable energy. But many West Virginians applaud the president’s efforts and remain loyal as he seeks a second term. These voters say they are attracted to Trump’s “America First” slogan and anti-abortion stance. And they think he’s the only one standing in the way of the entire industry closing down. West Virginia has lost nearly a third of its remaining full-time coal jobs since 2014.