RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia voters may be feeling deja vu. 

Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger from the Democratic Party and Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears have both vowed to abolish the car tax in Virginia if they win the governor’s race, an idea first introduced by Jim Gilmore nearly 30 years ago.

“It’s an effective way to catch voters’ attention, boost voter turnout, and establish a candidate as genuinely attentive to residents’ concerns, especially regarding the annual burden of the car tax,” explained Karen Hult, a Political Science Professor at Virginia Tech, in an interview with 8News.

Hult noted that although attempts to eliminate the car tax have previously failed, the issue remains appealing in Virginia. Unlike convoluted tax policies, the prospect of removing the car tax is a straightforward concept that resonates with Virginians, making it a popular political strategy.

“I think candidates in general like to have that distilled messaging, also it’s easy to remember, and more than that, most people, most of the time, don’t pay that much attention to electoral politics or policy, so for all of those reasons, it’s a good way to get the message out there and to keep reinforcing it in a simple, easy to remember fashion,” Hult explained. 

Hult also said that with the economy being a top concern for many Virginians, any policies that allow people to keep more money in their pockets will likely play well with voters. 

“The economy is going to be on the top of many people’s minds, and that also could be in part why both the former congresswoman, Spanberger, and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears is trying to say, ‘I’m paying attention to that,’” Hult told 8News. 

Regardless of who is elected, eliminating the car tax could be difficult in Virginia. That’s because the Democratic-controlled General Assembly rejected a proposal from Governor Glenn Youngkin during this year’s General Assembly Session.