By Eleanor Shaw, contributor
MILWAUKEE — After Virginia turned shades of purple in recent years, Republicans say they foresee the commonwealth going red this fall, as former President Donald Trump gathers momentum.
Throughout the first two days of the Republican National Convention, Virginian Republicans — many who donned stars and stripes — have emphasized economic issues as part of their case.
“Just look in your pocketbook from today to four years ago,” said Darrell Smith, an alternate delegate and Arlington resident. “Was it more now? Or was it more then?”
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said young voters should pay particular attention to economic policies, especially considering that recent generations have “a standard of living lower than their parents.” The price of rent and groceries should motivate voters to choose the candidate they believe will create a more accessible “American dream” for themselves.
“I think the choice is pretty clear between a president who has led to an economic decline and record inflation … and a president with a track record of a booming economy,” Miyares said.
In 2019 — during Trump’s presidency and before the coronavirus pandemic — the national unemployment rate was 3.7%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate was 4.1% last month, up from 3.6% in 2023.
In terms of inflation, the World Bank found that 2019’s national inflation rate was 1.8%, which more than doubled to 4.1% by 2023.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin sought to underscore the importance of money issues — especially under Republican leadership — when he twice addressed the convention on Monday and both times boasted that CNBC rated Virginia the top state for business in America. Youngkin made one of those references while announcing Virginia delegates’ support of Trump during Monday afternoon’s formal nomination of Trump.
The combination of policy differences and President Joe Biden’s 55.8% disapproval rating nationally prompts many of these Virginia Republican activists to say they’re confident the state won’t be purple for much longer.
“I’ve seen some of the polling, I think this is now a red state,” Smith said.
In a Virginia Commonwealth University poll conducted before Saturday’s shooting, President Joe Biden trailed Trump by 3 percentage points with 36% of Virginians planning to vote for the current president. A New York Times/Siena College poll of likely Virginia voters taken July 9-12 showed Biden leading Trump 48% to 45%, but the gap has narrowed from earlier this year.
While many Republicans wouldn’t say whether they want Democrats to pick a new nominee, they said Biden proved to be an unsuitable candidate after his debate performance June 27.
“I think [the Democrats] should just put [Biden] in a … convalescent home,” said Andre Soriano, an alternate Virginia delegate. “He needs to retire. It’s elderly abuse.”
Smith said he’s sure the Democratic Party recognizes Biden’s challenges and believes his “own party will vote him out of office.” But no matter what, Smith said, he’s confident the Republican ticket will defeat whoever the Democrats nominate, which would mark Trump’s first win in Virginia in three tries.
“I think Trump is going to win,” Smith said. “It’s going to be the largest landslide ever.”
Even though the same argument has been made against the 78-year-old Trump, his supporters said he has an “indelible spirit” and remains active.
“Look at [Trump], he’s a folk hero,” Smith said. “I mean look at him getting shot and going ‘fight, fight, fight.’”
Another common thread among the Virginians was a focus on faith, with testimonies tracing back to Saturday’s assassination attempt.
Bishop Leon Benjamin, who ran unsuccessfully in last year’s special election for the 4th Congressional District, said Trump’s survival was “a providence of God” and “a miracle.” In Benjamin’s eyes, the unsuccessful assassination is a sign of “God’s reprise” for the United States — a sentiment shared by other attendees.
“In God we trust,” Soriano said. “There were angels … that protected him that day.”
Still, while Smith said he is excited about progress in Trump’s campaign, he cautioned that “the polls don’t always tell the truth” and supporters must “go out and work.”
Reporter McKenna Schonbrun contributed to this report
Editor’s note: This coverage is being produced as part of a partnership between JMU’s School of Media Arts and Design and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. A team of JMU students is reporting from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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