This week, President Trump will be visiting West Virginia for the sixth time since taking office. It’s no surprise, given that the state serves as a shining example of the president’s commitment to make America great again. He should revel in the fact that his policies have unlocked the potential of West Virginia and triggered an economic renaissance that was sorely needed after years of Democratic despair.
The people of West Virginia elected Republicans to lead the state in 2014, after 83 years of Democratic rule. We got right-to-work and a dismantling of the Democrats’ other devastating policies that kept West Virginians behind for. We implemented a responsible pro-growth economic agenda. And then Trump’s election in 2016 provided another major boost for our economy. The results are remarkable.
Last year, West Virginia saw the most economic growth of any U.S. state according to a study by GoBankingRates, which cited our GDP growth, our increase in personal income, and the 1.3-point drop in our unemployment rate.
When Trump was elected, he promised to end the Democrats’ War on Coal. He has delivered. As a result of strong, pro-growth policies in Washington and Charleston, the Mountain State led the nation in adding more than 1,340 coal mining jobs. This was more than all other states combined and nearly three times the number of jobs added in the state with the second largest number of job gains, Alabama.
When Trump was elected he also promised to get America building again. Again, he has delivered. Between January 2017 and January 2018, West Virginia had the highest percentage of new job growth in the construction sector, at nearly 15 percent, with 4,300 jobs added. The state far outpaced California, which had the second highest percentage growth. As someone who spent decades overseeing the construction and development of residential and commercial projects all over the world, Trump knows just how important this sector is for economic growth and prosperity.
Americans from across the country are also taking notice of our comeback story. In June, West Virginia’s hotel occupancy rate increased by double digits compared to the same time last year, leading to a 20 percent revenue increase for the state. Born and raised in West Virginia, I know there is no better indication that our comeback story is in full swing than seeing tourists enjoy everything our state has to offer. There is no doubt that this increase in visitors is a direct result of our economic revival.
But it doesn’t end there. Trump’s signature tax cuts are allowing West Virginians to keep more of their hard-earned money and are fueling the West Virginia economy. The tax cuts, which Democrats opposed, have resulted in thousands of dollars in bonuses, higher wages, job growth and investments in low-income communities across the state.
Fox viewers saw firsthand the impact of Trump’s tax cut when a mom from West Virginia tearfully thanked the president recently on air for what the tax cuts mean to their family. Jessica Hodge explained, “We are a working normal family and we work really hard and so to have this extra money that we can just keep into our paychecks, it’s just been a blessing to our family.”
It is stories like this that should make Trump extremely proud when he touches down in West Virginia this week. He will witness firsthand America’s greatest comeback story. Jobs are coming back, wages are increasing and the future is bright, thanks to the president’s leadership.
Mitch Carmichael, a Republican, is president of the West Virginia State Senate.
