Recent Republican Dominance In Appalachia

Why has Appalachia voted increasingly Republican in the 21st Century? I find that Appalachian citizens are more likely to vote for Republican candidates than citizens in other regions, controlling for race, education, income, and rural-urban status among other things. This phenomenon is shaped by both policy preferences and culture. Due to this combination of expressive and instrumental concerns, a large number of Democrats in the region have been disaffected from the national party and have become frequent Republican voters or identifiers. This trend first appeared at the Presidential level in the early or mid-2000s and trickled down to other national and state races by 2012. Ultimately, the geographic isolation of the region has led to a unique history and political culture that have created a much more Republican friendly landscape compared to other parts of the country today.