05/14/2026
Appalachia First is no longer just an idea or a page. We are beginning the process of building a real regional political movement across Appalachia.
Our goal is to recruit, support, and help elect candidates in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and anywhere else this movement can realistically expand. Not Democrats. Not Republicans. Appalachian candidates focused on Appalachian issues and working class people first.
For decades both parties have treated our region like a colony. They take our labor, our resources, our land, and our young people while giving us addiction, collapsing infrastructure, poisoned water, hollowed out towns, and political dynasties that answer more to corporations and lobbyists than the people who actually live here.
Appalachia First is about building something different.
We believe in regional economic development, labor rights, infrastructure, local ownership, anti corruption reforms, housing protections, energy independence, defending constitutional liberties, and putting working class Appalachians before multinational corporations and outside political machines.
We are actively looking for people interested in running for local office, city council, county commission, school board, sheriff, state legislature, and eventually federal office under an Appalachia First framework.
If you are someone who:
• believes Appalachia deserves political power
• supports working class centered economic policies
• believes corruption and corporate influence are destroying our communities
• wants to rebuild our towns instead of abandoning them
• and agrees broadly with the Eight Points of AF
then we would be glad to talk with you and begin building the framework together.
This movement will not be built overnight. It will take organizers, candidates, workers, veterans, miners, teachers, nurses, farmers, and everyday people willing to step forward and fight for this region again.
The political establishment has failed Appalachia for generations. We intend to build something that belongs to us.
Message the page if you’re serious about getting involved.
Eight Points of AF
Appalachia First works beyond partisan lines to work towards a standard set of principles/platform positions aimed at empowering Appalachia, revolutionizing our economy, and uprooting corruption.
In order to become an “Appalachia-First” candidate you must seek our endorsement, publicly endorse the eight points, and pledge to always put Appalachian issues at the center of your advocacy.
1. We seek for greater Appalachian autonomy and the formation of a new state comprised of all Appalachian regions. The Commonwealth of Appalachia would give Appalachians real political representation—rather than being dominated by urban areas in other states (Louisville, Nashville, Richmond, etc). This assertion of regional autonomy also asserts that individual liberty must always be upheld.
1.1 In order to assert and defend Appalachian autonomy we must work to reform political fundraising, seeking to ban PACs that asset foreign or multinational influence while simultaneously limiting how much corporations can spend in our elections i.e Citizens United.
1.2 The second amendment must be upheld and protected from government overreach.
2. Significant state government investments in infrastructure such as the creation of a pan-Appalachian railroad aimed supporting heavy industry, tourism, and optimized transportation. (This would call for the creation of an Appalachian Railroad Authority (ARA), an interstate, public entity)
2.1 IMMEDIATE action much be taken to address our water crisis in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia. This must be done through direct action, mutual aid, advocacy, and major investments into local infrastructure. The companies and entities responsible for contaminating water must be held accountable and ought to be forced to pay for clean up efforts and new water infrastructure.
3. The regional “nationalization” of coal production as a means to revitalize the industry and create national energy leverage. (While eventually moving toward nuclear energy in a sustainable manner while creating free programs for coal miners and other workers to learn the skills needed to operate nuclear facilities)
4. The creation of tax policies that allow local businesses to better compete with large corporations, we would like to see international corporations deprived of their influence in local politics and culture. These tax policies would extend to include the elimination of income taxes on working class individuals and the subsequent raising of taxes on international corporations.
5. Address rising housing costs in all means necessary. This will include numerous new regulations on residential housing ownership, renting, etc. We will seek to undermine the influence of large holding companies such as BlackRock.
6. Pragmatic drug reforms focused on shifting government focus to harm reduction rather than prohibition/prosecution. This would mean gradual, regulated drug liberalization at the state/regional level and the immediate legalization of recreational cannabis.
7. We most empower Appalachian workers by supporting labor organization—we must repeal anti-union laws that have undermined our workers. Further, we support the expansion of workers’ rights such as (mandatory paid maternity/paternity leave for all institutions with over 25 workers, mandating all institutions accept doctor excused absences without any penalty being applied to the employee, etc)
8. We must work toward equitable land reform that puts working class Appalachians first, rather than multinational corporations.
