President Biden and former President Trump are tied at 42% each in Virginia, according to a new poll from Roanoke College.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both underwater in Virginia, with higher unfavorable than favorable numbers. The poll shows a muddled race for president in Virginia, which might end up being a battleground state in 2024.
"Normally we would say an incumbent president with 59% unfavorable rating should be way behind in the polls," says Harry Wilson, senior political analyst at the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College. "But he's tied in this case because his opponent is also viewed very unfavorably."
The poll also shows that memories of the Trump years are very positive compared to feelings about the Biden years. Democrats are not all that positive about the Biden years, but nine out of ten Republicans view the Trump years as mostly good.
"Republicans are really gung ho about the Trump years," Wilson explains. "They see the Trump years as a very positive time, and obviously Democrats don't. But only half of Democrats see the Biden years as really good times."
This is the first time that the Roanoke College poll has ever shown presidential candidates in a tie, although a poll in February had them within the margin of error.
Governor Youngkin's job approval
A majority of Virginians approve of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin job performance.
The survey found a 52% approval rate for Youngkin. Wilson says that fits a long trend in Virginia politics.
"Virginia seems to like its governors, whether Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal – it doesn't really seem to matter," he says. "Virginia generally likes its governors, and some of that I think is because people generally think that things are better in the Commonwealth than they are in the country."
The poll found President Biden has 75% approval from Virginia Democrats, but Governor Youngkin has 82% approval from Republicans.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
