Virginians are overwhelmingly more content with the direction the state is headed compared with the rest of the country.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows 66 percent of Virginians are at least satisfied with “the way things are going in” the commonwealth. Just 19 percent of those polled expressed satisfaction with the direction of the nation.
The survey also found Gov. Bob McDonnell remains popular, and 62 percent approve his handling of the job. That’s consistent with a September poll that put him at 61 percent.
But even as the governor actively campaigns on behalf of Republicans looking to win the state Senate, most Virginians don’t want to see the legislature, and state, fall fully in the hands of the GOP. A plurality of those polled, 38 percent, preferred split party control while 30 percent wanted Democrats in charge of both chambers to 27 percent for Republicans.
Many residents also aren’t on board with McDonnell’s pledge to start collecting tolls on Interstate 95 south of the Richmond area to pay for road improvements. A majority said that was a bad idea, although they preferred it to a spike in the gasoline tax.
They do, however, agree with McDonnell that Virginia should increase its nuclear capacity and 60 percent support the construction of a new nuclear plant, even in the face of an August earthquake that forced the temporary shutdown of the NorthAnna facility in central Virginia.
In a popularity test of other Virginia officials, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner comes close to McDonnell with a 61 percent approval rating. That Warner, a Democrat, can poll just highly as the state’s Republican leader even as President Obama’s approval rating remains low is testament to Virginia’s status as a tossup state heading into the November and 2012 elections.
