CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – Virginia is home to nearly 145,000 federal workers. With the Trump administration steadily cutting federal jobs, all eyes are turning to see how much impact it has on who is Virginia’s next governor.

“This can’t help Republicans. This will help Democrats, the degree to which, we will have to see,” said UVA Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato.

Sabato says the Trump administration’s decision to slash federal jobs could have Virginians voting with a vengeance this November.

“No matter what your partisan affiliation is, when you lose your job and you have somebody you can blame for it, you’re not likely to help that person or group of people or that party,” said Sabato. “You’re going to perhaps take out your frustrations on them.”

Many have already lost their jobs, and even more are to worry if they too could be on the chopping block.

“If there’s a 10% cut in the workforce, that’s a cut of 39,000 jobs across Virginia and that’s an estimated loss $6 billion dollars in economic output and so the impact is real,” said Democratic candidate for Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.

“The president was elected fully explaining what he was going to do. He didn’t hide anything from anyone,” said Republican candidate for Virginia Governor Winsome Earl-Sears.

Sabato says lost federal jobs along will likely not make or break on which party pulls this election out.

“I just don’t happen to think that this factor alone will determine A gubernatorial election, or next year’s midterm. The elections are complicated and there are dozens of factors that are critical in any election, so we’ll see,” said Sabato.

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