VCU poll shows Virginians don’t support Trump on tariffs, but are more evenly divided on federal workforce cuts

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A recently released poll from VCU’s Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs is giving us a glimpse into what may influence Virginia voters this fall.

The poll found that 61% of Virginia adults believe President Donald Trump’s tariff policies will weaken the U.S. economy over the next few months.

“What this poll suggests is that Virginians in general are not happy with what the federal government is doing and likely to take that out on Republicans here in Virginia this fall,” Randolph-Macon Political Science Professor Rich Meagher told 8News. 

On federal job cuts, 51% of Virginians disapprove of President Trump’s efforts to cut the size of the federal workforce to reduce government spending. 46% of Virginians approve of the efforts. 

“Northern Virginians really care about it and it's really gonna drive them to the polls, I think, in a way that might jack up turnout among Democrats in this race,” Meagher told 8News. 

On immigration, Meagher said it’s good news for Republicans that 84% of Virginians think illegal immigrants crossing the southern border is a problem. However, Meagher said it might not matter all that much in the context of Virginia’s elections. 

“The problem is, of course, that Virginia is not a border state, so the problems of immigration are not quite as present in the day-to-day lives of many Virginians in a way that would really drive them to vote as it might in some other parts of the country,” Meagher explained. 

The poll was conducted from June 19 to July 3, before President Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law.