January 12, 2015

Even Republican Voters Support Regulating Carbon Pollution

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/3518071026/in/photolist-6mT2X1-7HM7aT-cGKH6Q-cGKHWA-cGKHm7-araVSi-iyvEwu-cGKPr3-cGKUQy-cGKUAL-ktN2qp-ktNBTR-ktNzRe-ktQcPW-ktN4nR-hzVgL1-hzUtDT-araVpZ-ardyh5-hzUqZz-hzUG2u-hzViLo-hzUsQi-6SMD1X-7JoWvw-ktQjVu-ktNE1g-ktN6Nx-6LLXwB-4VR4uw-boo9nN-agitDo-oQFU5w-b7ZsQc-9dCBk8-8CqAtP-9dFDWs-q9aAjw-k2oXbe-k2oPAz-ktNLoB-k2oLWM-k2pkGK-k2phXi-k2rC49-k2pGEX-k2pdek-k2rny7-k2rpZu-k2p8an"> Rennett Stowe</a>/Flickr


If you look at the new Congress, conservative sentiment seems overwhelmingly united against climate action—72 percent of the Senate’s Republican caucus reject the science on climate change. But among the voting population, the numbers are slightly more optimistic, according to Yale University polling data released today.

The data combines the results from six different polls conducted over the past three years, and it shows deep divisions within the Republican Party over belief in climate change and support for climate policies. Most interestingly, a majority of Republican voters support the government taking steps to curb carbon dioxide pollution. That’s the very policy that GOP leaders like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) have vowed to fight this year.

Yale

Despite that call for action, belief that climate change is happening is common only among self-described liberal and moderate Republicans, who together comprise just 30 percent of the party:

Yale

So clearly climate advocates still have their work cut out for them in winning more Republicans over to the overwhelming mainstream scientific consensus on climate change. But at the same time, an all-out war on President Obama’s climate initiatives won’t be a clear-cut win for any but the most right-wing Republican legislators.

More Mother Jones reporting on Climate Desk

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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