Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Survey: Majority of Tea Party Believe Global Warming Exists!

2012 GOP presidential candidates should take a good hard look at the Brookings Institute's "National Survey of American Opinion on Climate Change". Among the study's key findings:
  • 58% of Americans believe there is solid evidence of global warming, up from 52% in 2010
  • Only 26% believe there is not solid evidence of global warming
  • 54% of Tea Party members and 56% of Independents believe there is solid evidence that the average temperature on Earth has been getting warmer over the past 5 decades
  • 58% of Americans disagree with the statement that scientists are overstating evidence about global warming
  • 57% believe Renewable Electricity Portfolios should be adopted by both state and federal governments
Republican presidential hopefuls like Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich may want to start highlighting their past support for bipartisan solutions to climate change on the campaign trail. It could give them the edge they'll need to attract those key Independent and Tea Party votes in 2012. 


3 comments:

  1. The more relevant number for the GOP primary -- only 41% of Republicans believe in Global Warming. The Tea Party number is certainly interesting and raises a lot of questions...

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  2. The Independents number is also relevant in New Hampshire, where Independent voters can vote in the 2012 Republican presidential primary. If it is a close contest, it will be the "undecideds" and Independents who decide the outcome. Right now the candidates are in capacity building mode, so they are probably more concerned with appealing to the base.

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  3. I agree, and without a real contest on the Dem. side, it's possible that independents will have a greater say in the GOP primary than usual.

    I'd be interested to know what percentage of tea partiers support cap-and-trade, etc. in this poll... I couldn't seem to find the crosstabs on that.

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