Despite the below 15 degrees windchill and snowy weather, the “Save our Democracy, Stand Up for Our Workers” rally, put together by the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee, saw residents turn out carrying home-made signs and yelling out chants.

Participants expressed their support for federal workers and protested the recent slew of cuts made to federal jobs by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been spearheaded by billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

“We’re very upset with this chainsaw that they’re taking to our workers, that our workers are going to suffer,” Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee member Cindy Stemple told The Inter-Mountain during the rally. “Everyone is going to suffer, because these are services we love and services we depend on.”

Those at the rally carried signs that said things such as, “Protect Federal Workers,” “Workers Over Billionaires” and “Musk Must Go.” One sign featured a painting of Trump, with a crown atop his blonde hair, reading “We Shall Over-Comb.”

The Inter-Mountain photo by Taylor McKinnie Rally participants, with signs in support of federal workers and against Elon Musk, smile as some driving by honk in support Thursday in Elkins.

Ralliers also performed several chants, including “The people united will not be divided” and “Tell me what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like.”

Starting at 4 p.m., participants were met with a multitude of supportive honks, yells and thumbs-up from many driving by, though some drivers booed at the participants, and several made crude hand gestures.

When asked what made her want to take part in the rally, Catherine Brake said it was because of how close the cuts come to home.

“I’m out here because I’m angry,” Brake told The Inter-Mountain. “I’m out here because literally every person in my family is affected by this in some way or could be eventually, and frankly this is my home and I believe in our Constitution and I think we should be fighting harder for it.”

Mandy Weirich, a member of the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee, said she was at the rally because she’s “a patriotic American.”

“Our community and our state relies heavily on federal support, and we have a lot of federal workers in our state and a lot of them have lost their jobs or they’re worried they’re going to lose their jobs,” Weirich told The Inter-Mountain. “We know that there are young people just starting their careers that were wanting to stay in their community that lost their job unexpectedly, and we want them to be able to have good jobs here in West Virginia.”

This was the first of several rallies that will be held by the Randolph County Democratic Executive Committee. Rallies are scheduled every Thursday this month, starting at 4 p.m. outside of the Randolph County Courthouse on Randolph Avenue in Elkins.

Next week’s rally has been titled “Save Democracy, Stand Up for Public Education.”