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Ncsupack's avatar

Is RTW that popular in Virginia?

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Stargate77's avatar

Most Virginia politicians seem to think it is, or at least was. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine both supported RTW in their runs for statewide office in the 2000s. I imagine public opinion in Virginia has shifted on this issue as the state has shifted further left over the years, and I would like to see a poll that asks this question. In order for this poll to be reliable, however, it needs to clarify to respondents what RTW laws actually entail. Without that clarification, many poll respondents will mistakenly assume that these laws are about whether or not people have the right to get a job - something that's not in question by anyone.

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James Trout's avatar

Sadly yes. You have to keep in mind that even when Virginia was a solid southern Democratic state, it was NEVER one where left populism was popular. Even today, left populism here goes to die in statewide elections. A major reason for that is due to the fact that urban power has always been tempted here. The largest city here is Virginia Beach, which is still dominated by Republicans and where Pat Robertson had his home base.

The ONLY reason why Virginia has moved in our direction is due to the fact that we now dominate in the suburbs of DC and Richmond. Something that was far from given just two decades ago. The Old Dominion may HATE Falwell/Robertson style social conservatism, but neither are they won over by Bernie Sanders style "progressivism." Far from it. This remains a pro business AND anti tax Commonwealth. The fact that Glenn Youngkin made repeal of the grocery tax a centerpiece of his campaign in 2021 just as Jim Gilmore did the same with the car tax in 1997 speaks for itself.

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michaelflutist's avatar

What's the appeal of "right to work" to non-business execs?

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James Trout's avatar

The whole "right of association" thing. Especially in Northern Virginia where there are a lot of libertarian types.

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michaelflutist's avatar

I never heard there were. Has the Libertarian Party ever had much effect on Virginian elections?

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James Trout's avatar

Small l libertarian, not Libertarian Party. Even when this was a Republican state, it was majority pro choice. Something Doug Wilder made sure to exploit when he ran for Governor in 1989 against Marshall Coleman who ran as very anti choice. Wilder also ran as pro business and pro death penalty though.

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michaelflutist's avatar

Aren't you talking about civil libertarianism, though? That's not at all the same as libertarianism in general, which opposes things like safety regulations for products and limits on pollution by industries.

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PollJunkie's avatar

Why progressivism is in quotes? It's a well established ideology now.

Virginia beach and the coast seem to vote hard for Democrats in the presidential and state elections when I pulled up a precinct map.

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James Trout's avatar

Because most people who call themselves progressives today are actually populists. They have a LOT more in common with William Jennings Bryan than Theodore Roosevelt. Progressivism and populism are two separate ideologies.

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PollJunkie's avatar

I have a different view, Progressives in the USA are ideologically similar to establishment European Social Democrats except in a very few issues but are populist here because the American Overton window is way right.

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