Sanders and Clinton Court West Virginians Hit Hard by Coal’s Decline

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With West Virginia’s economy battered by a coal industry in free fall, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is hoping that a strong showing in this state’s Democratic primary on Tuesday will keep him a force in the party’s politics by showing that his message still resonates, even though his rival, Hillary Clinton, has an almost insurmountable lead in delegates.

As Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders have campaigned here in recent weeks, they have found frustrated voters who express the kinds of anxieties heard all across the country — only with a far greater degree of urgency and pain, as they see their communities wither before their eyes.

“We just don’t want to be forgotten,” said Betty Dolin, who co-owns a restaurant in Danville, about 20 miles southwest of Charleston, where customers tucked into hearty meals like meatloaf and country fried steak with gravy."

Thomas Kaplan reports for the New York Times May 10, 2016.

SEE ALSO:

"Coal Mining Jobs In West Virginia Aren't Coming Back" (Marketplace)

"Why This Could Finally Be The Election Where Climate Change Matters" (Washington Post)