Although Appalachia is often perceived as a Republican, Trump-loving region, its past was actually largely Democratic. In Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign, he was able to gain significant backing from Appalachians by addressing concerns of poverty. Kennedy’s efforts ultimately led to the creation of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 which oversaw location-based policies for impoverished areas.  This was highly successful in the short term, growing appreciation for the Democrats (Peters, 2017; Wilkey, 2017).

Authenticity. Authenticity is the way in which John F. Kennedy was able to capture the hearts and minds of the Appalachian voters. Kennedy seemed to speak his mind — honestly, not eloquently. Kennedy’s voice was often high-pitched and his speech seemed improvised. He was effective in Appalachia because he seemed genuine due to his unscripted nature. Thus people felt like his voice and his actions were genuine.

Empathy. Despite coming from a privileged family, Kennedy seemed to somehow identify with the people of Appalachia. Many articles have pointed out that, at the time, Kennedy was not viewed merely as a liberal or Democrat, but as person with true compassion for people.

The University of Michigan published site further touts the Democratic past of the Appalachian region, mainly focusing on the union-centric politics and ties to the ‘Solid South’ Democratic association with southern states following the Civil War.

Prior to its perceived identity as “Trump Country,” during the period of 1933 to 1965, Appalachia was gaining momentum in increasing liberal ideas of income and racial equality.  However, with shifts described in the Evolving Reputation, perspectives adjusted.