One year after Trump inauguration, the President remains popular in southern West Virginia

With a row of rifles behind him in his Fayette County store and a display case of handguns in front of him, Morton said, “I just figured I would get out before I had to. I figured if I waited until the industry was done, I’d be in competition with 15,000 to 20,000 people for the same jobs. I thought, if I start now, I’m ahead of the game.”

Morton, who will soon turn 42, had spent 12 years in the mining industry – first with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), then with Patriot Coal as a safety manager.

But in October 2014, he and his brother-in-law, Bryan Arthur, opened Bare Arms Gun and Pawn. Business got off to a slow start.

Email: [email protected]; follow on Twitter @WendyHoldren