ICYMI: DATA FOR PROGRESS POLL SHOWS VOTERS ARE READY FOR CLEAN ENERGY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: March 18th, 2022

CONTACT: Erik Mebust, erik@climatepower.us 

Washington, D.C. –  Today, Data For Progress released polling showing that since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, support among voters remains high when it comes to investments in clean energy and holding oil and gas companies accountable for unaffordable prices. The new research follows recent polling from Geoff Garin at Hart Research underscoring the importance of addressing high gas prices through clean energy policy to voters across the country who are frustrated with high prices.

The poll found that 69% of voters–including 89% of Democrats, 66% of Independents, and 54% of Republicans–agree that the federal government should make investments in American clean energy production as Russia’s invasion into Ukraine pushes U.S. gas prices to near record highs. Voters overall supported the policies by a 46 point margin, and even Republicans supported them by a margin of 14 points.

Similarly, voters know that oil and gas companies are complicit in holding back supply to pad their profits with higher prices at the pump. Data For Progress found bipartisan agreement that oil and gas corporations shouldn’t be allowed to profit off of the acute energy crisis Americans are facing. Democrats (80 percent), Independents (73 percent), and Republicans (72 percent) believe that oil and gas companies should not use the current crisis to pay out their wealthy shareholders.

Hart Research also found that 60% of voters blame high gas prices on excessive prices by oil companies, compared to 59% who say Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is to blame. Sixty-eight percent said it was important for the President and Congress to act on price gouging. Their concerns are well founded: as CNN reported recently, while prices rose last year, the top 25 oil companies took home $205 billion in profits, with Chevron calling 2021 one of its “most successful years ever.” Right now, the industry is choosing to keep supply tight and prices high so they can send $88 billion back to shareholders through stock buybacks ($38bln) and dividends ($50bln).

A separate poll run by Data For Progress and the Sunrise Movement found that climate action policies are key to motivating young people to turn out in this year’s midterm elections, which will determine the balance of power for the remainder of President Biden’s term.

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