Policy in Perspective: A Look Back at Public Opinion in 2025

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
December 12, 2025

Multiple times a year the Wilder School Commonwealth Poll seeks the opinions of adults across Virginia on a wide range of policy issues. From voting intentions to approval of elected officials and from health policy to education policy and safety policy, the Poll provides policymakers, practitioners and the public with key insights into what people across the commonwealth believe, value and vote for. In this article we share some highlights of our findings from 2025 and we also identify key policy issues to watch in the coming year.

Voter motivation

With each election comes renewed discussions of what matters most to voters. Are candidate platforms resonating with the public? What could gain or cost a candidate votes? In September the Commonwealth Poll asked participants what issues were the most important to them as they decided for whom to cast their vote. The majority of participants (28 percent) cited the rising cost of living as their top issue, followed by reproductive rights at 13 percent. Immigration and education were next, tied at 12 percent, followed by crime at 11 percent and the tax burden at seven percent.

The rising cost of living

In September and in previous years the economy and the rising cost of living were consistently top issues for voters. To get a better understanding of how people in Virginia feel about the current costs of living as well as perspectives on policies aimed at strengthening the economy, the Summer 2025 Commonwealth Poll asked about grocery prices, housing affordability and proposed tariffs.

The majority of participants (62 percent) reported that their household financial status was being negatively impacted by the price of groceries. They also showed support for policies aimed at making housing more affordable, with 63 percent saying that they opposed a recent veto of legislation that would have expanded local authorities in Virginia to promote affordable housing development and preserve funding for first-time homebuyer assistance programs.

Finally, the Poll found that federal tariff policies remained polarizing. Only 30 percent of Virginians said that they approved of federal tariffs, while 61 percent said they believed that tariff policies would cause the American economy to weaken. Participant views broke sharply along party lines, with 66 percent of Republicans, 25 percent of Independents and only one percent of Democrats saying that they approved of tariffs.

Affordability of higher education

Another key area of concern was the extent to which a college education is affordable and worth the cost. Overall, our January 2025 Poll found that 41 percent of Virginians agreed that college is worth the cost, while 53 percent disagreed. Forty-three percent said that they highly valued a college education and believed that it is an important factor in an individual’s success, while 44 percent were not quite as enthusiastic. This group said that while they previously placed high value on a college education, they did not currently feel that it is as important to future success. Eleven percent said that they saw a college degree as having minimal value.

When asked what policies they might favor to make higher education more affordable, participants felt that cutting costs and making community college free for everyone would be the most effective options, with 53 percent and 52 percent supporting, respectively. Forty-six percent thought that it could be helpful to invest more of the state budget in higher education, while 41 percent agreed that a tuition freeze could help make college more affordable.

Finally, we asked participants if they would approve legislation that would provide additional funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Virginia. This idea was largely supported, with a significant majority (78 percent) approving.

The rise of data centers

In addition to the economy, data centers are another hot topic in today’s policy world. Our January 2025 Poll asked Virginians if they would support the building of more data centers in the commonwealth. Opinions were mixed, with 46 percent agreeing that Virginia should allow more data centers and 39 percent opposing expansion. While people expressed support for the jobs that data centers would create, there was also concern over the environment and quality of life for those living nearby.

Looking ahead to 2026

When we reflect on our 2025 Commonwealth Poll findings we consistently see that the economy is a major motivator and concern for people across Virginia. Whether it is paying for groceries or saving for a college education, the rising cost of living is at the forefront of minds and a major factor in deciding for whom to vote. Future candidates and policymakers will need to keep this in mind and work to ensure that our commonwealth and our nation have strong economies where people can afford what they need and what they want. In the words of L. Douglas Wilder, the 66th governor of Virginia, “my experience politically has always been that one-word definition of politics: money.”

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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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