Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is taking credit for record job growth in Virginia. That's despite what he calls "inflationary headwinds from Washington."
John Provo at Virginia Tech's Center for Economic and Community Engagement says jobs and inflation are important metrics, but he says wages are also an important factor to consider.
"Overall, in the economy, wage growth has not slowed as fast as inflation seems to be slowing," Provo says. "So, I think it's not a two-part-question, it's at least a three-part question."
Aside from the dynamics of how regional economies work, J. Miles Coleman at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics says there's also an important political dynamic.
"A perfect example of that was back in the 1980s, when the economy was really growing under Ronald Reagan it was the Democrats who would win the governor's races in that decade and that's something they could kind of take to their credit," says Coleman.
He says if the situation were reversed and Virginia had a Democratic governor and a Republican president, both parties would be trying to take credit for jobs while also attacking their rivals over inflation.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
