Third in a 5-day series.

MARIETTA, Ohio — Barbara and Erin Mazzocca, mother and daughter, sat near the front window at Tonya’s Country Kitchen in downtown Marietta on a recent weekday.

Over a breakfast of eggs and bacon, the discussion turned to politics, a subject the Mazzoccas sometimes try to avoid.

But in 2016, evading the presidential election is a nonstarter. Coverage is unavoidable on television and the Internet, and yes, even at the local diner.

“Sometimes [my husband and I] joke around and say, ‘Didn’t we raise you right?’ ” Barbara said.

“Raise me right? C’mon,” Erin responded with an eyeroll.

Her father, James, is a Republican. Mom is an independent. And Erin is a Democrat.

IN PICTURES: Marietta focused on economy

Come November, all three will be casting votes for Donald Trump. Call it the Trump Phenomenon, where many non-Republican voters in working-class cities have gravitated to the billionaire businessman.

In the Mazzoccas’ case, the reason stems from coal. James is a lifelong coal miner across the border in West Virginia, and Hillary Clinton — a staunch supporter of clean energy who said “we’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business” — is persona non grata in these parts.

“It’s difficult because there are a lot of things I don’t agree with in the Republican Party,” said Erin, who counts social issues among the most important in 2016. “But it’s hard having my dad as a coal miner and friends’ families who are coal miners.”

In the primary, Mr. Trump defeated Ohio Gov. John Kasich by 47 votes in Washington County — 5,150 to 5,103. The Democratic vote was dwarfed, as Mrs. Clinton outdistanced Sen. Bernie Sanders by about 3 percentage points. But her winning tally was only 2,585 votes.

The county had a higher turnout in the primary than in the 2012 general election.

“Marietta, Ohio, and the county of Washington are strictly and totally Republican. But I tell you right now, I think everybody is wondering who the hell they’re going to vote for,” said Joe Matthews 77, a Democrat, who’s been mayor for 29 years. “Everyone is frustrated with Washington, D.C., whether it be the President, Congress, or the Senate.”

Not only does Mrs. Clinton’s stance on coal impede her, she is viewed as an extension of President Obama, who is unpopular in Washington County, which voted for Mitt Romney by a wide margin.

“What we’ve had has been a nightmare,” said Cheryl Lang, 52, who owns a downtown shop. “It’s been very difficult for anyone who is actually trying to make a living and not just trying to get a handout. It’s been that way definitely since Obama’s been in office.”

Mrs. Lang comes from a family of small-business owners. Her husband owns a construction company — he’s joked about helping build the wall along the southern border — so the economy and taxes are issues she talks about. Her store, A Unique Flower and Gift Shop, employs one full-time employee and two part-timers.

“Trump doesn’t have the best way of saying things. But one of the things I like about that is you definitely know he’s not a politician,” Mrs. Lang said. “We need a business person in there. We’re all fed up. We’re ready for a change.”

The frustration comes from job losses in manufacturing and a downturn in coal production. Within the past few years, the Muskingum River Power Plant, a coal-fired power station in Washington County, was shut down because of environmental regulations. The decision came after the plant was scheduled to run on natural gas.

At its peak, the plant powered 3 million households and employed several hundred people.

The Fort Frye and Wolf Creek local school districts are facing repercussions from the plant closing because of tax-revenue losses in the millions.

Washington County was inundated with fracking production during the shale boom, creating jobs and wealth. But the output has subsided. The unemployment rate in Marietta is 4.7 percent. It is 6.5 percent in Washington County, above the state and national average of about 5 percent.

“The economy is the No. 1 issue,” said Republican Jeremy Barton, 36, as he cut Ricky Kroll’s hair at Riverfront Barber Shop. “The 40-hour work week is dead. There are no factory jobs. You can’t get a job without at least a two-year associate’s degree. I’ve been with Trump all the way. Everyone is tired of the B.S. All politicians are liars. I’d say 90 percent of people here hate Hillary Clinton with a passion, and half of them are Democrats. No more Clintons and no more Bushes.”

But not every resident believes Mr. Trump will bring prosperity to their lives.

“The country wasn’t running bad when [Bill Clinton] was in office,” Mr. Kroll said during his haircut.

Robert Bailey, 58, who’s been in an out of jail for petty crimes, says the country needs a new government “because the one we have is corrupt.” However, despite his intrigue in Mr. Trump and disdain for the current political system, Mr. Bailey sides with Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy.

“When her husband was president, my life was great. I like the Clintons,” he said. “Everybody knows in any good marriage, the woman is boss. Things were beautiful for me in the 1990s. Hillary can do this job. She has the knowledge and the experience.”

Mr. Bailey lives on food stamps and does odd jobs to get by. His residence is a camper. The stigma attached to those with criminal records is something he wants changed.

“If a man messes up, he doesn’t have a chance to be anything again in his life because of it, even if he did his time,” Mr. Bailey said. “I’m one of those individuals. There are thousands of people just like me, and we’re all unemployed pushing a broom when we could be doing real work. When a man does his time, he should be able to come back into society as an equal.”

Mayor Matthews said he will support Mrs. Clinton, calling her the “lesser of two evils.” He said the obstacle with Mr. Trump is lies.

“He’ll talk out both sides of his mouth,” Mr. Matthews said.

Marietta College, with an enrollment of 1,250 students, is a sort of incubator for the city and surrounding area that helps keep the economy steady. The liberal arts school has a nationally renowned petroleum engineering program and enrolls hundreds of Chinese students.

The youth vote has become a priority for presidential candidates, making college campuses must-stop locations on the campaign trail. Mr. Trump and Mr. Sanders played well in the area during the primary.

RaNeal Ewing, a senior at Marietta, sided with Ben Carson, even though he identifies with Democrats and was an Obama supporter. As the general election looms, he’s not sure where to turn.

“Politicians say what appeases the audience,” said Mr. Ewing, a member of the basketball team. “This election is hard to choose the right candidate. Hillary has paid her dues, and I believe Donald Trump is a great businessman. He would help our country dramatically financial-wise. Some of his views, I don’t agree with. There are also some things Hillary has done that leave a bad taste in your mouth.”

In this disillusioned election, as the candidates’ unfavorable ratings spike, voters have already spoken before casting their November ballots.

“I don’t like Trump at all,” Barbara Mazzocca said. “It will be hard for me to press the button.”

Contact Kyle Rowland at: krowland@theblade.com, 419-724-6282, or on Twitter @KyleRowland.

First Published July 19, 2016, 4:08 a.m.