Some voters who supported President Donald Trump in red states are starting to distance themselves from him as electricity and fuel prices rise.
West Virginia shows one of the clearest signs of this frustration, a state that gave Trump every county in the 2024 election. Residents interviewed by The Associated Press said that rising utility bills have eroded any patience they had for promises that energy would become cheaper under a second Trump term.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly assured voters that he would cut energy and electricity prices in half within 12 months. Instead, electricity prices have continued to increase.
The AP reported that nationwide electricity costs rose 4.8% in February compared to a year earlier. Analysts told Reuters that the Iran war has heightened pressure on fuel prices, possibly keeping gas costs high well beyond the immediate conflict.
In West Virginia, where coal still generates about 87% of electricity, many households now face utility bills that rival or exceed their rent or mortgage. The AP reported that the state once had the lowest electricity prices in the country but now experiences one of the fastest-rising rates. This increase comes in a state with stagnant incomes and a Republican-led government closely tied to the coal industry.
While Trump threatens to destroy energy infrastructure in Iran, sending millions to their death, his own people are suffering
Businesses in West Virginia are facing higher energy costs from coal fired plants than their rent
Maybe the president should focus on his own backyard pic.twitter.com/x1ARzL6F7W
— Brattani (@Bratt_world) April 10, 2026
Ashley Nicole Dixon from Danese, a Trump voter, expressed her discontent. As a Dollar General manager supporting a daughter at home and another in college, she said she paid over $5,000 for electricity last year for a house of just over 1,000 square feet. “I love West Virginia because it’s beautiful but lately, it feels like a sham from the local government all the way up to Charleston,” she said.
She added that Trump “should send her a check” after promising to cut electricity bills in half. “I have no choice. It has to be paid,” Dixon explained. “That’s what makes me sick because now I’m going to have to take more money out of my savings account just to keep the lights on.”
Jennifer Brown from Kingwood, another West Virginia resident quoted by the AP, shared similar concerns. Brown works for the state’s federally funded Head Start program. Her husband is a postal worker, and together they are raising four children.
The AP reported that their winter utility costs can reach $1,000 a month, more than their $798 mortgage. “Every month we get our utility bills, I’m so angry. I’m like, ‘Why is this so high?’” Brown said. “We can’t figure it out. Nothing seems wrong, and we’re not wasteful.”
The White House has responded to criticism. AP reported that spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stated, “Lowering electricity prices is a top priority for President Trump,” and blamed former President Joe Biden for the current costs.
Polls, including CNN’s, is a disaster for Trump on the economy.
More disapprove of him (72%) on inflation than than Carter (!!) or Biden at this time in a presidency.
Trump’s disapproval (76%) is higher than Biden’s worst (72%) on gas prices.
Trump’s on a stairway to hell. pic.twitter.com/hQQ4KbsdQp
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) April 1, 2026
The administration has also worked to keep aging coal plants operating. Reuters reported that Trump directed the federal government to support coal-generated power and allocate $175 million for upgrades at six plants, including one in West Virginia.
However, the political danger for Trump and Republicans is becoming more evident. The AP has reported that voter anger over utility costs is already influencing once-obscure regulatory races in states like Arizona and Alabama.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump’s approval rating at 36% and just 25% approval regarding the cost of living. In deeply Republican states like West Virginia, the frustration is more personal than ideological.
For some voters, the break with Trump does not stem from party loyalty. It arises from opening the mailbox, seeing another hefty power bill, and realizing the promises have not been fulfilled.
