From the Wallet to the Ballot: Public Perspectives of Economic Policies

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By The VCU Wilder School Office of Research and Outreach
September 12, 2025

In November, Virginia will elect its first female governor. The two candidates, Abigail Spanberger (D) and Winsome Earle-Sears (R), each have their own agendas and ideas on how to ensure a thriving commonwealth. Of all the policy issues, perhaps one of the hottest topics is the economy. From everyday essentials and grocery prices to affordable housing and the costs of imported goods, people in Virginia and across the United States are keeping a close eye on policies that could impact the national economy as well as their personal wallets.

To get a better understanding of how people in Virginia feel about the current costs of living as well as perspectives on policies that are aimed at strengthening the economy, the Summer 2025 Wilder School Commonwealth Poll asked the following questions:

• Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: in the past year, increases in grocery prices for items like eggs and milk have impacted your household’s financial decisions.
• Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed affordable housing policies passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2025 including legislation aimed at expanding local authority to promote affordable housing development and preserving funding for first-time homebuyer assistance programs. In general, do you support or oppose the Governor’s decisions to veto these affordable housing initiatives?
• In your opinion, will Donald Trump’s tariff policies strengthen or weaken the U.S. economy over the next few months?

Data for this poll was obtained via telephone interviews with a representative sample of 809 adults, ages 18 or older, living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline and cell phone from June 19 to July 3, 2025. The margin of error was +/- 4.16 percent.

Rising grocery prices

The poll found that grocery prices and cost-of-living issues continue to weigh heavily on the minds of Virginians. Sixty-two percent of registered voters said that rising grocery prices are affecting their household finances, a concern shared broadly across party lines with 70 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of Republicans and 61 percent of Independents citing concern.
Concern was also high among individuals of all races and ethnicities, though white participants (58 percent) and Asian participants (55 percent) did not report as much concern as African American/Black participants (86 percent) or those of Hispanic origin (77 percent). Women were also more likely than men to say that they were concerned (71 percent compared to 54 percent).

Affordable housing

A majority of Virginians also had concerns over the vetoed affordable housing policies, with 63 percent of registered voters in Virginia saying that they opposed the vetoes. This included 90 percent of Democrats and 64 percent of Independents compared to only 31 percent of Republicans. As was the case with rising grocery prices, racial and ethnic minorities were more likely to have concerns. When it came to affordable housing, 78 percent of Black/African American participants, 65 percent of Asian participants and 63 percent of Hispanic participants opposed the veto compared to 55 percent of white participants. Women (65 percent) were more likely to say that they opposed the veto than men (53 percent).

Tariff policies and the U.S. economy

At the national level, tariffs on goods and imports from various trading partners is a hot topic of debate and a key point of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” In Virginia, the Commonwealth Poll found that Trump’s executive orders and tariff policies remained polarizing. Only 30 percent of voters in Virginia said that they approve of the executive orders, while 61 percent said that they believe his tariff policies will cause the U.S. economy to weaken. These views break sharply along party lines, with 66 percent of Republicans, 25 percent of Independents and only 1 percent of Democrats saying that they think the tariff policies will strengthen the U.S. economy.

Nationally, findings from an August 2025 Pew Research Center survey showed similarities to the Virginia poll. In this poll, Republicans were more likely to think favorably of the tariffs and their impact on the U.S. economy with 68 citing support. Conversely, 89 percent of Democrats said that they opposed the tariffs. When asked about the perceived impact of tariffs on their personal lives, 55 percent of participants thought that tariffs would have a negative impact compared to 21 percent who thought the impact would be positive. We once again see clear distinctions among party lines, with 84 percent of Democrats thinking that tariffs will have a negative impact on their family compared to 35 percent of Republicans.

Looking ahead

The outcome of Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial election, as well as impacts of state- and national-level economic policies, remains to be seen. As elected officials continue to consider how to best ensure a thriving economy, polls such as those cited in this article can provide important insight into the perspectives of their constituents.

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Author: The Wilder School’s Center for Public Policy advances research and training that informs public policy and decisionmaking to improve our communities. Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of Wilder School faculty, we provide services including leadership development and training, economic and policy impact analysis, survey insights and program evaluation to clients in governments, nonprofits, businesses and the public across Virginia and beyond. Twitter: @VCUWilderSchool

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