Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell sees high approval rating, per Vanderbilt poll
The 2025 Vanderbilt Poll-Nashville found his favorability among Nashville residents at 67% — a very high level of approval for any elected politician that underscores the success of his first year and a half in office.
The poll found approval differed across party lines, with 44% favorability among Republicans and 83% among Democrats. The 39-point difference is much smaller than the gap in favorability for President Donald Trump, which sits at 80 points on the national level.
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According to the poll, O'Connell's positive assessment aligns with the emerging consensus that Nashville is headed in a better direction than it was a few years ago.
'This is good news for the mayor and the city, especially today when you see such staggering polarization between Democrats and Republicans nationally. These numbers mean his leadership is working for both sides of the aisle,' John Greer, Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said. 'While Democrats are more supportive of Mayor O'Connell, the gap is much smaller than what we see nationally. Here in Nashville, people increasingly feel that the city is on the right track. That goes hand in hand with O'Connell's high approval ratings. It's a great story for the city.'
According to Vanderbilt, the poll was conducted from Feb. 21 through March 16 and included 1,008 respondents from Metro Nashville across all political affiliations.
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Poll officials said no singular issue emerged as especially striking or divisive, but concerns about affordability for their neighbors remained a priority for all respondents, regardless of income level.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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