Across Virginia
The Institute for Policy and Opinion Research (IPOR) at Roanoke College interviewed 702 adult residents of Virginia between Aug. 6 and Aug. 15, 2023, in a survey of public attitudes related to national
political anxiety, satisfaction with democracy, and trust in governmental institutions. The survey has a margin of error of 4.20%.
Approval, Favorability, and Directions of Virginia and Nation
Virginians’ approval of Gov. Glenn Youngkin and President Joe Biden remains approximately the same as our most recent poll in May, with 51% of Virginians approving of the way Youngkin is handling his job as governor and 40% approving of the way Biden is handling his job as president. The percentage of Virginians who believe things are generally on the wrong track in Virginia and the nation remains stable from our last poll, with 44% reporting that things are on the wrong track in Virginia and 73% reporting that things are on the wrong track in the nation. As for the legislatures at the national and state levels, 18% of Virginians approve of the way Congress is handling its job and 44% approve of the way the Virginia General Assembly is handling its job. The approval rating for the General Assembly has dropped about six points since our last poll in May. Finally, with all seats up for grabs in the General Assembly this November, approximately 55% of Virginians say they are at least somewhat closely following the legislative elections coming up this November.
Virginians’ favorability ratings for key political figures such as Youngkin, Biden and former President Donald Trump also remain stable from our last poll. Approximately 48% of Virginians report a favorable impression of Youngkin while 41% report an unfavorable impression. At the national level, 43% and 30% of Virginians report favorable impressions of Biden and Trump, respectively, while 53% and 65% report unfavorable impressions. We also asked Virginians about their impressions of the U.S. Supreme Court for the first time since our November 2022 poll, and the court’s favorability and unfavorability ratings remain about the same at 42% and 51%, respectively.
As we have reported before, there are substantial partisan gaps in Virginians’ attitudes, including 47- and 54-point gaps in Youngkin’s approval and favorability ratings, 70- and 75-point gaps in Biden’s approval and favorability ratings, and a 67-point gap in Trump’s favorability rating. These gaps also appear in Virginians’ attitudes about the direction of the nation (35-point gap) and favorability rating of the U.S. Supreme Court (44-point gap).
2024 Republican Nomination and Potential General Election Matchup
The Roanoke College Poll continued measuring Virginians’ opinions about the current Republican presidential nomination race, including who they would most prefer to be the Republican candidate for president in 2024. We provided survey respondents an updated field of candidates based on recent national polling, including Trump, Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott. Although he has not entered the race, we also included Youngkin in the list of candidates again.
Trump maintains a commanding lead of 47% as the first choice among self-reported Virginia Republicans, followed by DeSantis at 13% and the rest of the candidates in single digits. While Trump’s level of support remains about the same as our last poll, the percentage of Republicans reporting DeSantis as their first choice has dropped by 15% since our last poll in May. We also asked Virginians to report their second-choice candidate for the Republican nomination, where the results showed a more competitive field. Approximately 19% of Republicans reported DeSantis as their second choice, followed by Trump (17%), Ramaswamy (17%), Youngkin (14%), Scott (9%), Pence (8%) and Haley (6%).
Looking ahead to the 2024 presidential election, we asked Virginians who they would vote for in a hypothetical matchup between the two parties’ leading nominees. Biden leads Trump by about nine points at 51% to 42%, which is a drop from his 16-point lead we reported in our May poll. Looking at a breakdown by party identification, while both Biden and Trump have solidified support among Democrats and Republicans, respectively, our poll finds that Biden has a 21-point advantage among independents at 55% to 34%. We also asked Virginians, if Biden and Trump are the party nominees in 2024, whether they would consider voting for an independent candidate for president in 2024. Approximately 47% of Virginians said they would consider an independent candidate while 50% said they would not. Looking at the results by party identification, 54% of independents said they would consider voting for an independent presidential candidate.
Trump Indictments
We also asked Virginians for their opinions about three of the now four indictments facing Trump. The percentage of Virginians who reported hearing or reading a lot or some about former President Trump being indicted was 82% in the case involving allegations about classified documents, 77% in the case involving allegations about hush money payments, and 84% in the federal case involving allegations about the 2020 presidential election. For each of these cases, we asked Virginians whether they think Trump did something illegal, did something unethical but not illegal, or did nothing wrong. A majority of Virginians reported that they think Trump did something illegal in the cases involving classified documents (54%) and the 2020 election (51%), while about a third reported that they think he did something illegal in the case involving hush money payments (34%). There are substantial differences between Democrats and Republicans in these responses, including 70- and 72-point gaps in beliefs about whether Trump did something illegal in the classified documents and 2020 election cases, respectively, and a 54-point gap in beliefs about whether Trump did something illegal in the hush money payments case. Among independents, 64% reported that he did something illegal in the classified documents case, 33% reported he did something illegal in the hush money payments case, and 58% reported that he did something illegal in the 2020 election case.
Issues in Virginia and Nation
We also asked Virginians for their opinions on a range of public policy issues. First, on the issue of abortion, approximately 86% of Virginians think that abortion should be legal in at least some cases. Since the last time we measured this in November 2022, the percentage who think it should be legal in all cases is down six points and the percentage who think it should be legal in some cases is up five points. Second, on the issue of climate change, 74% of Virginians think that climate change is a great deal or some threat to the country’s well-being, while 64% think that climate change is having at least some effect on their local community. Third, on the issue of education, 44% of Virginians think that K-12 schools are having a positive effect on the way things are going in Virginia, while only 38% think that K-12 schools are having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country. Fourth, on the issue of student loan debt and forgiveness, 47% think that people who owe student loan debt should be paying their debt now, while 49% think that the debt should be deferred.
We asked Virginians for their opinions about recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions about the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program, the use of race in college admissions processes, and whether a wedding website designer can deny services to same-sex customers. Approximately 34% of Virginians approve and 44% disapprove of the court’s decision in the student loan case, while 46% approve and 33% disapprove of the court’s decision in the race and college admissions case. About 34% of Virginians approve of the court’s decision in the wedding website and same-sex customers case, while 45% disapprove of the decision.
Satisfaction with Democracy and the Election Campaign
IPOR is partnering with Dr. Matthew Bergman and Marymount University’s Center for Professional Ethics and Social Responsibility to measure the public’s satisfaction with democracy, trust in governmental institutions, and attitudes about campaign messaging. IPOR will field a series of questions about these topics in this year’s surveys.
The Roanoke College Poll asked Virginians’ opinions about their satisfaction with democracy and their exposure to political campaigns. On a 10-point scale, Virginians were overall more satisfied with how democracy works within the state (6.2) and their city or counties (6.3) than in the nation overall (5.1). While the state and city/county values are similar to our results from May, the level of satisfaction with the nation overall has slightly dropped by 0.2. There were notable party differences between these. On all three measures, Virginia Democrats had notably greater satisfaction than Virginia Republicans, with independents in the middle. At the national level, this difference was most stark, with Democrats having 0.9 greater satisfaction than Republicans. This drops to 0.6 greater at the local level and only 0.2 at the state level. Regionally, those living in the Shenandoah Valley are the least satisfied with the way democracy works at the country level while those in Northern Virginia and Southside are the most satisfied. At the state level, Southwest Virginia and Shenandoah Valley are the most satisfied while the Central Region around Richmond is the least satisfied. Such differences suggest that the underlying dynamics of the public’s satisfaction with democracy differs when they are asked about their national versus state level satisfaction.
With the upcoming elections, we also asked Virginians if they have noticed any advertisements related to political campaigns. About 55% of our respondents recalled seeing some sort of campaign advertisement. Of these, 22% recall seeing a positive advertisement while 50% recall seeing one that was negative. Respondents were also asked about the topics that were covered in the advertisement. About 60% said that the topic was related to a candidate’s competence or character while only 30% noted the focus was on an issue or specific policy. The ads were moderately memorable such that 44% of respondents were able to recall information contained in the ad, with many respondents reporting how they did not appreciate the attacks contained therein or questioned the veracity of the information provided.
Analysis
“Virginians’ attitudes about the direction of Virginia and the country remain mixed yet stable,” said Bryan Parsons, senior political analyst at IPOR. “This is also true in their approval and favorability ratings for political figures like Youngkin, Biden and Trump. With that said, partisanship continues to shape the way Virginians evaluate key political figures and events.”
“As far as the Republican presidential nomination process goes, Trump maintains a commanding lead over the rest of the Republican field. While most Virginians have heard at least some news about Trump’s indictments over the past few months, that doesn’t seem to be affecting his popularity for the Republican nomination.”
“Virginians are split in their opinions of Trump’s indictments. While a majority believes he has done something illegal in the cases involving allegations about classified documents and the 2020 presidential election, nearly a third believe he has either done nothing wrong or has done something unethical but not wrong in those cases. Only a third of Virginians believe he did something illegal in the case involving hush money payments.”
“The takeaway from this poll is that partisanship continues to shape Virginians’ views on everything from the direction of Virginia and the country to positions on key issues in public policy. There are substantial partisan gaps in attitudes on issues such as abortion, education, student loan debt, climate change and recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. Our poll provides more evidence of the depths of polarization in American politics.”
Methodology
Interviewing for the Roanoke College Poll was conducted by The Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, between Aug. 6 and Aug. 15, 2023. A total of 702 completed interviews came from random telephone calls to 410 Virginians, and 292 responses were drawn from a proprietary online panel of Virginians. Telephone interviews were conducted in English. Cellphones constituted 58% of the completed phone interviews. Marketing Systems Group provided the telephone dialing frame and Lucid, LLC facilitated the online panel.
Questions answered by the sample of 702 respondents are subject to a sampling error of plus or minus approximately 4.20% at the 95% confidence level. This means that in 95 out of 100 samples like the one used here, the results should be at most 4.20 percentage points above or below the figure obtained by interviewing all Virginians with a home telephone or a cellphone. Where the results of subgroups are reported, the sampling error is higher.
Quotas were used to ensure that different regions of the commonwealth were proportionately represented. The data were statistically weighted for gender, race and age. Weighting was done to match Virginia data in the 2021 one-year American Community Survey (ACS). The design effect was 1.29; the reported margin of error above reflects this design effect.
Aug. 25, 2023 — Roanoke College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company spotlighted Roanoke in the newest edition of its annual guide, “The Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition” (Penguin Random House).
Only about 15% of the nation’s four-year schools are picked for profiles in the book. The Princeton Review chooses colleges based on data collected from annual surveys of 2,000 higher ed administrators on their institutions’ academic offerings. The company also reviews survey data from students who report on their experiences at their institutions.
Roanoke students who took part in surveys reported that they were happy on campus, loved the Blue Ridge region, and had access to great facilities and internship opportunities. In addition to beingprofiled in the book, Roanoke was singled out for inclusion on multiple best-of lists:
>> Great Schools for Business/Finance Majors
>> Great Schools for Psychology Majors
>> Best College Radio Station
>> Best Athletic Facilities
The Princeton Review’s best-of lists are based on the student reviews gathered in its surveys. The company poses 85 questions to 165,000 students across all the schools profiled. More information about its methodology isavailable here.
Roanoke has been recognized by the best colleges guide every year since the book’s 2012 edition. It was elevated to the list of Great Schools for Business/Finance Majors in 2014 and Great Schools for Psychology Majors in 2015.
Its world-class athletic resources at the Cregger Center and its popular student radio station, WRKE, joined the accolades in 2022.
“We created our rankings to provide a resource for college applicants that helps them answer what may well be the toughest question in their college search — ‘What’s the best school for me?’” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review and lead author of “The Best 389 Colleges.” “Our selection of colleges for this book reflects our high opinion of the schools: We recommend each one as academically outstanding.”
The profiles and rankings in “The Best 389 Colleges” are posted online and can be searched for free. The annual guide has been featured on NBC TODAY more than two dozen times and referenced by many other media, including NPR, The Wall Street Journal and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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Richmond-The Virginia Department of Corrections is investigating the death of an inmate that occurred at Red Onion State Prison on August 24, 2023.
At approximately 2:37 p.m., an inmate reported to staff that his cell partner fell out of his top bunk bed. Staff entered the cell and found the cell partner unresponsive, which prompted staff to perform lifesaving efforts. The unresponsive inmate was transported to Dickenson Community Hospital and at 3:57 p.m. was pronounced deceased. This incident is being investigated by the VADOC’s Special Investigations Unit.
Virginia lawmakers now have a tentative budget agreement to vote on. Conferees from the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and Democratic-controlled State Senate have reached a deal. Officials say it includes a one-time tax rebate and an increase in standard deductions. A vote is needed in a special session, one that is not yet scheduled.
NEWS RELEASE: We are pleased to announce that we have a budget deal between the House and Senate budget conferees. While the major components have been agreed to, our conferees and staff will be completing the final touches in the days to come.
The deal is one that provides Virginians with additional tax relief and unprecedented investments in education, natural resources, and behavioral health. It is a win-win for the citizens of Virginia.
It includes a one-time tax rebate of $200 for individuals and $400 for joint-filers, increases the standard deduction ($8,500 for single-filers and $17,000 for joint-filers), removes the age requirement for the military retiree subtraction, and reinstates the sales tax holiday. Taken together, these actions provide relief to low- and middle-income Virginia citizens and Virginia businesses.
We also prioritized investments in education at all levels to ensure that our students recover from pandemic learning loss and are workforce ready. In higher education, we are providing additional operating support to maintain college affordability and increased financial aid to ensure access is not limited due to family income.
We were able to negotiate these investments while maintaining an eye on Virginia’s continued budgetary integrity. Virginia remains in a strong fiscal position based on these actions, which will continue to protect our triple-AAA bond rating.
While the negotiations have been deliberate and extended, we are very pleased that the outcome is both fair and balanced toward the priorities of the House and Senate. In an era when partisanship often prevails, the negotiations were cordial and respectful.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our dedicated conferees and talented staff.
From Roanoke County Public Schools:
Currently, phone lines are down for all schools and buildings in Roanoke County Public Schools. Alternative numbers have been established so parents can reach schools for urgent messages.
Back Creek Elementary: (540) 776-7144
Bonsack Elementary: (540) 977-5879
Burlington Elementary: (540) 561-8162
BCAT: (540) 857-5061
Cave Spring Elementary: (540) 776-7145
Cave Spring Middle: (540) 772-2195
Cave Spring High: (540) 772-2107
Clearbrook Elementary: (540) 776-7148
Fort Lewis Elementary: (540) 387-6348
Glen Cove Elementary: (540) 561-8164
Glenvar Elementary: (540) 387-6351
Glenvar Middle: (540) 387-6283
Glenvar High: (540) 387-6347
Green Valley Elementary: (540) 776-7149
Herman L. Horn Elementary: (540) 857-5062
Hidden Valley Middle: (540) 772-7519
Hidden Valley High: (540) 776-7322
Masons Cove Elementary: (540) 387-6995
Mount Pleasant Elementary: (540) 427-5779
Mountain View Elementary: (540) 561-8167
Northside Middle: (540) 561-8152
Northside High: (540) 561-8160
Oak Grove Elementary: (540) 776-7150
Penn Forest Elementary: (540) 776-7151
W.E Cundiff Elementary: (540) 857-5065
William Byrd Middle: (540) 890-0703
William Byrd High: (540) 890-7568
Please use these numbers for urgent messages only. When regular phone service is restored, we will send an update.
A recent study named Virginia as one of 2023’s top ten best states to live in. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has details on where the state shined — AND where it fell flat:
MGN
Election day is more than 2 1/2 months away, but early voting in Virginia begins September 22 — five weeks from this Friday. It comes as a national debate continues over exactly how should we be able to vote ahead of the traditional day to cast ballots. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
This year, eight schools in Roanoke County will be providing free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as implemented through the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Schools participating in CEP this year are:
Burlington Elementary
Herman L. Horn Elementary
Masons Cove Elementary
Mount Pleasant Elementary
Mountain View Elementary
Northside High
Northside Middle
W.E. Cundiff Elementary
All students attending a CEP school will be provided a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal each day at no cost. Households with students attending these schools will not be required to submit a meal application or to pay a fee for these students to receive meals.
All other schools will continue with the school meals program as in previous years. Roanoke County Public Schools encourages parents at these schools to consider applying for free and reduced meals, even if they think they may not qualify. Applications can be completed online athttps://linqconnect.com.
Meal prices for the 2023-2024 school year will be as follows:
Daily Lunch
Student: $3.00
Adult: $4.75
Breakfast
Student: $1.50
Adult: $2.75
Milk: $0.50
For the 2023-2024 school year, reduced-price meal costs will be waived.
Bear Mange Photo: Va DWR
State game officials are seeking public review before approving a new bear management plan for Virginia’s black bears, and one of the newest issues involves is a skin disease that is afflicting some bears along the Appalachians and other portions of northwest Virginia. Bear mange has slowly been working its way southward from the Winchester area — but there are no confirmed cases yet in our immediate region. Several states are working together in efforts to get a better handle on it. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
Click here to see the 2023-2032 Virginia Black Bear Management Plan and how to provide comment through September 5.