There's a littl more to it than that. The state of West Virginia was formed during the War Between the States. This is a state where brother truely fought against brother. The first land battle of the War was fought here. The blue - gray animosity goes much deeper than Dem - Rep.
JMHO
I guess the war was the source of many of the long-running feuds that many associate with the mountains of WV,KY,TN,NC,GA and AL.
If it weren't for Abraham Lincoln, West Virginia would still be part of Virginia. The Constitution forbids creating a new state out of an existing state without that state's consent. Lincoln found a way around that.
My g-grandfather fought with the 36th Virginia, a Confederste outfit and his brother fought for the Union with the 7th West Virginia, Both were from Harrison County where their great-grandfather pioneered in the 1780s. Their civilian father was killed, and their uncle's business was burned to the ground by Union troops.
revise:
War of Northern Aggression