Overwhelming Majorities Say Candidates Should Care about Clean Energy

November 7, 2022

Overwhelming Majorities Say Candidates Should Care about Clean Energy and Climate Change as Americans Head to the Ballot Box

Americans are pessimistic about direction of country; believe electric bills are too high

November 3, 2022 – LANSING, Mich. – The Conservative Energy Network (CEN), a coalition of 24 state-based conservative clean energy organizations, today released the results of its seventh annual national survey. Respondents answered questions about clean energy, climate solutions, market competition, and related policy issues. The survey results revealed that four in five voters believe candidates should share their views on clean energy and/or climate change.

The poll results found 72% of Americans believe that the country is on the wrong track—an all-time high during the seven years the survey has been conducted. This pessimism will likely drive voters to the polls with both Republicans and Democrats showing equally high levels of voter intensity as the Midterm elections near. The battle for control of Congress and state houses around the country will be decided by independent voters—who are currently split with Independent men more likely to support Republican candidates and Independent women more likely to support Democrat candidates.

“Our survey results make clear that economic issues are at the top of voters’ minds as they cast their votes—and rightfully so,” said Tyler Duvelius, CEN director of external affairs. “With 47% of Americans believing their electricity bills are higher than average, it is more important than ever that the United States embrace an all-of-the-above approach to energy policy. Our survey found that Americans want more emphasis placed on all forms of energy—particularly wind and solar power. More domestically produced energy will lower our electricity costs here at home and will forge America’s path to a clean energy future.”

It should also be noted that, for the first time in the poll’s history, a majority of Americans (51%) support the job the Republican Party is doing in addressing climate change. This number is up 10% from a CEN survey conducted in October 2020. The jump comes after policy recommendations of the House Republican Energy, Climate, and Conservation Task Force—a group formed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy—were unveiled this summer. Further proving that Americans want legislative action taken by Congressional Republicans, 78% of Americans support passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act, a bill that passed the United States Senate with the support of 47 Senate Republicans.

The entirety of the poll findings can be found here. To provide additional context to the survey findings, and to provide post-Midterm analysis focused on the impact of election results on the future of clean energy and climate solutions, CEN will host a virtual panel on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM EST with pollster Glen BolgerMatt Moore, former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party and managing partner of First Tuesday Strategies, and John Hart, conservative political commentator and co-founder of C3 Solutions. You can register for the virtual event here.

Methodology

The Public Opinion Strategies poll was an online survey of 1,000 registered voters nationwide, conducted October 24-27, 2022 with a credibility interval of +/- 3.53%.

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About Conservative Energy Network: Formed in 2016, the Conservative Energy Network (CEN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of 24 state-based conservative clean energy organizations advancing policy solutions that emphasize market competition, consumer choice, and innovation. Learn more at www.conservativeenergynetwork.org.

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