Political activist Zachary Shrewsbury, executive director of the West Virginia nonprofit organization Bluejay Rising, reported Thursday on X: “Trumpism is cracking in West Virginia. People aren’t loyal they’re desperate. I see it daily in all my organizing. This state isn’t lost. With real focus and a movement rooted in labor and dignity, we can take it back.”
[Note: Shrewsbury, a U.S. Marines Corps veteran was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2024 U.S. Senate election in West Virginia to replace retired independent Senator Joe Manchin, a former Democrat. Glenn Elliott won the Democratic nomination and lost in a landslide to GOP nominee Jim Justice. It was the first time since the 1956 special election that a Republican won West Virginia’s Class I Senate Seat.]
Democrats are responding to Shrewsbury’s post with similar observations, including retired educator Bernie Hall who replied: “I was in Monroe County this week… I did not. See one Trump sign… Or Farmer’s for Trump… A few weeks ago, it was thick with them…”
Another in West Virginia replied to Shrewsbury, “There was a good turnout for the protest in Clarksburg. Organizing is happening here too.”
Trumpism is cracking in West Virginia. People aren’t loyal they’re desperate. I see it daily in all my organizing. This state isn’t lost. With real focus and a movement rooted in labor and dignity, we can take it back.
— Zachary Shrewsbury (@zachshrewsbury) April 10, 2025
Frustrated with the response of Republican state and federal government leaders to recent devastating flooding, Shrewsbury spoke at a “Hands Off” rally in Charleston on Saturday.
He said: “We need to run for every seat from town councils to the State House and take back our home from these out of touch fools who’ve been bleeding it dry. If we don’t, they’ll keep burying us. But if we do if we organize, if we run, if we fight we will win. Fight!”
My speech from today’s Hands off rally in Charleston, fantastic turnout and great energy.
Ive been running flood relief through my organization @BluejayRising . It was everyday for over a month running supplies across the coal fields. Now we are all here after the Republicans… pic.twitter.com/v3smPDSURN
— Zachary Shrewsbury (@zachshrewsbury) April 5, 2025
Shrewsbury’s view looks very different from that of Republican West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, who is praising Trump and Trumpism, and telling West Virginians that the new administration has their back — especially concerning coal.
Morrisey writes of the state’s critical industry and Trump’s interventions on its behalf: “I think this is a great first step and @POTUS is keeping his promise to West Virginia and to the American people because he knows the importance of coal to the nation’s energy portfolio.”
.@wvgovernor on President Trump’s Executive Orders to reinvigorate our clean coal industry: “I think this is a great first step and @POTUS is keeping his promise to West Virginia and to the American people because he knows the importance of coal to the nation’s energy portfolio.” pic.twitter.com/tzMNGiQSnB
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 9, 2025