Let's say that Gore doesn't campaign like a Rockefeller Republican and doesn't pick...ugh... Joe Lieberman as his running mate. While he may still lose, the Democratic Party's image isn't nearly as damaged in the South and Appalachia.
In addition, the 2004 primaries go a bit differently. Edwards, Clark, or Dean wins and they try to implement the "fifty-state strategy". Again, even if they still lose their image isn't nearly as tarnished as it would be had they nominated Kerry.
Now this is where, there is a clear divergence. Clinton wins the nomination in '08. And maintains her more conservative/beer track/dunkin donuts image she had back then. The recession hits as it did in OTL, and Clinton wins in a near landslide.
By this point, West Virginia would be either a tossup or at best a lean Democrat state. Let's say Sanders gets the nomination in 2016. Against a Rubio/Jeb/Cruz, I'd say that West Virginia would be safe in his column.
No 2008 would have been a last hurrah for the WV Dem party in that case, similarly how 1988 was a last hurrah for the VT GOP
