Virginia, home to several active Native American tribes from the confederacy once ruled by Pocahontas’ father, overwhelmingly supports the Washington Redskins keeping its name, according to a new poll.
The support is also bipartisan, and has the strong backing among African-Americans and women.
Overall, 71 percent of voters support keeping the name, while 21 percent want it changed, according the poll released Friday by the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University. What’s more, 68 percent said the name Redskins is not offensive to Native Americans, while 23 percent said it is.
Liberals in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, have challenged the name, calling it racist. Some are even considering punishing the NFL if team owner Daniel Snyder doesn’t drop it.
Poll after poll have found wide support for the Redskins name.
The Wason Center poll is important because it focused on much of the team’s support area, Virginia, home to two Redskins training facilities. It is also a state where residents have a great affection, awareness and give much attention to the Native American population. It is a state with rich Native American history, being the home of Pocahontas.
But it is also a politically-divided state and the poll found one thing they are united on: The ‘Skins. Just 9 percent prefer the Dallas Cowboys, the team’s rival.
“It’s hard to find 71 percent of Virginia voters agreeing on anything,” said Quentin Kidd, director of the Wason Center for Public Policy. “But support for the Redskins’ name clearly draws together people of different political stripes who would otherwise be at crossed swords, like it draws together members of the general assembly from different parties.”
Other results:
— Support among political factions: Republicans 72 percent, Democrats 69 percent, independents 68 percent.
— 60 percent of African-Americans said the name is not offensive.
— 79 percent said if the team name changed, it wouldn’t impact their support, but 13 percent said it would make them less likely to follow the Redskins.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
