Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the first top Republican elected statewide since the commonwealth turned blue in 2013, has moved into rare territory with a high enough approval rating to bolster his pro-parent, anti-tax agenda.
In the latest Mason Dixon survey, Youngkin has a 56% approval rating, his highest in a trend that began as soon as he took the oath of office last year. Just 31% disapprove of the former businessman, a massive 25-point gap.
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His approvals were high in every section of Virginia except the liberal Washington, D.C., suburbs. But even there, he was above water with a 49% approval rating versus a 38% disapproval. In central and southwest Virginia, his approvals neared 70%.
It is the second survey to find that voters believe the commonwealth is moving in the right direction, a radical clash with how they feel about the country. And it was a sign that Youngkin’s agenda is driving the positive spirit around Virginia.
New non-partisan Mason Dixon Poll out of VA indicates Virginians believe America is on the wrong track, while the Virginia is on the right track:@JoeBiden APPROVAL: 45%
BIDEN DISAPPROVAL: 52%@GlennYoungkin APPROVAL: 56%
YOUNGKIN DISAPPROVAL: 31%MOE +/- 4.0 pic.twitter.com/OBqNizDvc1
— Gary Grumbach (@GaryGrumbach) February 2, 2023
Mason Dixon, for example, found that by a margin of 47%-40%, Virginians believe the commonwealth is headed in the right direction. Even voters in liberal northern Virginia were positive, with 45% believing it is headed in the right direction to 40% who don’t.
A new Christopher Newport University survey just out also had positive news for Youngkin. It said that Virginia is headed in the right direction, by a 45% to 37% margin, and kept his approval rating at 50%.
Those results are unusual since the commonwealth has picked every Democratic presidential candidate since Barack Obama in 2008.
While it is too early to determine if Youngkin has turned Virginia red, there are signs in the new polls that President Joe Biden and his agenda are losing favor big time. In fact, his poor ratings only increase the importance of Youngkin’s positive numbers.
Take Biden’s approval rating in Virginia in the Mason Dixon survey. Just 45% approve of his job versus 52% who don’t. And 59% feel the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction.
Today, I had the honor to attend the Virginia March for Life. Virginians elected a pro-life governor and I’m committed to standing up for the rights of the unborn. Virginians want fewer abortions, not more. https://t.co/nDFvmLPfQx pic.twitter.com/qMGAn2SM4e
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) February 1, 2023
In the CNU survey, 73% feel the country is going in the wrong direction, and Biden’s approval is just 38% to 57%.
The polling is a shot in the arm for Youngkin, who recently unveiled his 2023 agenda and budget. “Virginia is showing strong support for his agenda,” said a Richmond official.
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In fact, the CNU survey found good backing for the governor’s efforts in its “State of the Commonwealth 2023” poll and analysis.
“Virginia voters show support for some of Governor Youngkin’s policies, including narrow support for a reduction in the state income tax and requiring parental approval for students to be referred to by a different pronoun from their birth certificate in K-12 public schools. On the other hand, a majority of registered voters do not support the governor’s environmental policy proposals, abortion restrictions, or his corporate tax cut proposal. Still, half of Virginia voters approve of the job Governor Youngkin is doing and are more optimistic about the direction of the Commonwealth than the state of the nation,” said the survey from CNU’s Wason Center for Civic Leadership.
