In this episode I bring my best friend and fellow WCU political science alum Ryder Newell on to the show to talk about the shift of Appalachia’s political alignment from blue to red.

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To recommend an episode topic or to give feedback on today’s episode email me at mackenzieatkinson@thatspoliticspodcast.com.

Sources/References:

• Cassingham, C. (2018). Political participation, efficacy, and community organizing in Appalachia: How a marginalized region makes sense of their circumstances. Student Research Submissions. 256. https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/256. Accessed March 29, 2026.
• Cooper, C. (2026). The Democrats’ Appalachian problem. Old North State Politics. http://www.oldnorthstatepolitics.com/2026/02/the-democrats-appalachian-problem.html. Accessed March 30, 2026.
• Kagan, A. (2024). The past, present and future of Appalachian politics. WLU Spectator. https://www.wluspectator.com/articles/the-past-present-and-future-of-appalachian-politics#:~:text=What%20cannot%20be%20described%20as,Delegates,%20all%20representing%20urban%20constituencies.. Accessed April 1, 2026.