Echoes of Appalachia

For generations, Appalachia has been a stronghold for the Republican Party. Election after election, voters in the region have cast their ballots for GOP candidates, believing in promises of economic revival, job creation, and protection of traditional values. Yet, year after year, the reality for many Appalachian communities remains the same: stagnant wages, crumbling infrastructure, dwindling opportunities, and a healthcare system that leaves too many behind. Despite this, Republicans continue to win votes by blaming Democrats for problems they themselves have failed to solve or, in many cases, actively made worse. It’s time to recognize that voting Republican in 2026 will only deepen Appalachia’s struggles, and here’s why.

First, let’s talk about the economy. Republicans love to tout themselves as the party of jobs and growth, but their policies have done little to bring sustainable prosperity to Appalachia. The region’s reliance on coal has been exploited by GOP politicians for decades, with empty promises of a comeback that never materializes. Instead of diversifying the economy or investing in renewable energy, which could provide long term jobs, Republicans cling to a dying industry while offering tax breaks to out of state corporations that extract resources and leave little behind. When these companies pull out or automate jobs, who do Republicans blame? Democrats, of course, never admitting that their own refusal to adapt has left workers stranded.

Healthcare is another critical issue where Republican policies have failed Appalachia. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid in many states, providing a lifeline for low income families in rural areas. Yet, Republican led states like Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia have either resisted full expansion or threatened to roll it back, leaving thousands without access to affordable care. Rural hospitals continue to close at an alarming rate, and opioid addiction, a crisis that has hit Appalachia harder than almost anywhere else, has been met with hollow rhetoric rather than real solutions. Instead of expanding treatment programs or increasing funding for mental health services, GOP leaders focus on cutting social programs and giving tax breaks to the wealthy. When people suffer, they point fingers at Democrats, never acknowledging their own role in making healthcare harder to access and that they are the ones elected to serve the people of this region.

Education is yet another area where Republican leadership has let Appalachia down. Public schools in the region are chronically underfunded, and rather than investing in teachers or infrastructure, GOP politicians push for voucher programs that drain resources from already struggling districts. The result? Rural students fall further behind, and young people who want to stay in Appalachia find fewer opportunities to build a future. At the same time, Republican lawmakers attack higher education, slashing funding for community colleges and technical schools that could provide pathways to better jobs. They’d rather blame liberal elites for the region’s problems than admit their own policies are making it harder for Appalachian youth to succeed.

Then there’s infrastructure, or the lack thereof. Appalachia’s roads, bridges, and broadband access lag far behind the rest of the country. The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed in 2021 was a rare chance to address these gaps, yet many Republican representatives voted against it, only to later take credit for the projects it funded. This hypocrisy is nothing new. For years, GOP leaders have blocked federal aid for Appalachian communities, then turned around and blamed Democrats when nothing gets fixed. It’s a cycle of neglect and deception, and it’s holding the region back.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of Republican dominance in Appalachia is the way they’ve convinced voters to distrust anyone who offers real change. They’ve spent decades painting Democrats as out of touch outsiders, even as Democratic policies, like raising the minimum wage, expanding healthcare, and investing in clean energy, would directly benefit the working class families Republicans claim to represent. Instead of offering solutions, the GOP relies on fear, division, and nostalgia for a past that wasn’t as great as they pretend. They tell Appalachians to blame immigrants, blame coastal elites, blame socialists, anyone but the politicians who have been in power for years while the region’s problems get worse.

When I was young and we had no internet and barely had two stations on TV, politicians used to come to our church to speak to our community. I remember my Granny was always the one saying, “all they are going to do is leave us here to starve”. And guess what? They did, time and time again. They stood there in that church making promises or lies of jobs, help for the farmers, help for the people. That help never did come. But guess what? Even as I type this today nearly 45 years later, Republicans are still in control of that area, and the people are still struggling, even today. I am guilty of falling for the lies, I voted for them as well. But I finally woke up and started educating myself on their “lies”. I educated myself on who was actually going to help the farmers, the unemployed and the people. I also learned very quickly most of them are in there for the money, they don’t care about the people, they care about how wealthy they can get in a short time, but instead, end up being career politicians. They go in broke and come out very wealthy.

I am an author and most of my writings are on the people of Appalachia, and believe me when I say, I read a lot about what is happening in Appalachia. I read every bill that is passed that will benefit or not benefit Appalachia. I read story after story trying to make sense of it all, trying to understand why people are fixated on voting for the same old tired people who have failed them time and time again. But truth be known, I don’t think we will fully understand why. So, don’t come at me saying I am a leftist, or that I want socialism, or I am whatever. If you think what I am saying isn’t the truth, then please educate me, because Democrats are not in control. So don’t come at me saying ‘But the democrats” with that being said, if you are in an area that has a Democrat-controlled politician and things are not being done to help, then vote them out as well. But to be honest, there are not many Democrats Politian’s that represent Appalachia and its people.

In 2026, Appalachia has a choice. It can keep voting for Republicans who have failed the region time and again, or it can demand better. That is the only way we are going to ever get any politicians attention. The GOP’s playbook is tired: promise revival, deliver little, and then shift blame when things don’t improve. If Appalachia wants real progress, better jobs, stronger schools, accessible healthcare, and modern infrastructure, it’s time to stop falling for the same old tricks. Voting Republican hasn’t worked. Maybe it’s time to try something else.

-Tim Carmichael