We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/Script YE – Trump Campaign
HEADLINE: Will Republican Voters Stick With Trump in 2024?
TEASER: Support remains strong in deeply Republican West Virginia
PUBLISHED AT: 12/14/2022 at 3:30pm
BYLINE: Steve Herman
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Mount Storm, West Virginia
VIDEOGRAPHER: Saqib Ul-Islam
VIDEO EDITOR: Saqib Ul-Islam
SCRIPT EDITORS: Stearns, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, AP, Reuters, see courtesy
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X__
TRT: 2:54
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: Accompanies web story))
((INTRO)) Donald Trump is running for president of the United States for a third time, hoping to become the second president in American history to win nonconsecutive terms. Public opinion polling shows most Republican Party voters do not think he should be their nominee. To find out how Trump is doing in one of his historical strongholds, VOA’s chief national correspondent Steve Herman went to Mount Storm, West Virginia.
((NARRATOR))
An ideal place to gauge Donald Trump’s post-presidential support is Grant County, West Virginia. In both 2016 and 2020, Trump captured about 88 percent of the vote here in the heart of the Appalachia.
((Nats, newspaper machine))
Camille Howard: “Old technology”
((NARRATOR))
That margin did not surprise Camille Howard, managing editor of the Grant County Press, the county’s only media outlet.
((Camille Howard, Grant County Press Managing Editor))
“Since people are massively Republican here, whoever the Republican candidate is on the ticket is probably going to win.”
((Nats, singing at Christmas gathering))
((NARRATOR))
Fewer than 700 of the county’s 7,000 voters are registered Democrats.
Among them, retired school psychologist Frank Miller, who struggles to understand why so many of his neighbors are avid Trump supporters.
((Frank Miller, Democrat))
“It's a cult. I'm a psychologist, I understand how cults work, where there's a suspension of reality. And they all focus in on what their cult leader says.”
((Nats break))
TRUMP: “Now if you really want to drive them crazy, say, '12 more years.'”
((NARRATOR))
During his four-year presidency, Trump sought to save West Virginia’s coal industry, derided solar power — also on the rise in Grant County — as “not strong enough,” and repeatedly railed against wind turbines, of which there are more than 100 above the town of Mount Storm.
((President Donald Trump))
((CG: April 2, 2019))
“And they say the noise causes cancer. You tell me that one, OK. Eeer, eer. The things make – and of course, it’s like a graveyard for birds.”
((Steve Herman, VOA News (standup version))
“This far ahead of the 2024 Republican presidential primary, the picture is still shrouded in mist. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear here in Grant County – many of those who voted for Donald Trump twice before plan to do so again.”
((Jodi Ours, Republican))
“Most of the people I know that voted for him before would vote for him again.” ((:04))
Jodi Ours is a former surgical technician and the sister-in-law of the county assessor, Jerry Ours.
((Jerry Ours, Grant County Assessor))
“What you'll see is he'll keep most of that support and add to it, I think. I really do — no matter who's in the running.”
((NATS))
TRUMP: “And I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States.”
((NARRATOR))
Trump has won two presidential primaries in West Virginia, but there will be more Republican challengers for the nomination in 2024 than he faced as an incumbent four years earlier.
((Steve Herman, VOA News,
Mount Storm, West Virginia))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Mount Storm, West Virginia
Embargo DateDecember 14, 2022 17:52 EST
Byline
((Steve Herman, VOA News, Mount Storm, West Virginia))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
