New Texas Poll Shows Strong Republican Support for Clean Energy Policies, Statewide Plan
Study conducted by two leading GOP pollsters
Results provide perspective during election season and in advance of 2017 Legislative Session
May 04, 2016, 11:03 ET
AUSTIN, Texas, May 4, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, two leading Republican pollsters discussed the results of a groundbreaking statewide survey of Texas voters conducted on behalf of the Texas Clean Energy Coalition (TCEC).
"What struck me about the survey results is how widespread the support is across the political spectrum for increasing our state's use of clean energy. Republicans, Democrats and independents alike want more Texas clean energy, they favor common-sense clean energy policies that give Texas consumers more freedom, and they want the state to develop its own comprehensive clean energy plan," said TCEC Chairman Kip Averitt, a former GOP state senator who served as chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
The survey of 801 registered voters was conducted in mid-April by Michael Baselice, president of Austin-based Baselice & Associates in collaboration with Kristen Soltis Anderson, co-founder of Echelon Insights of Alexandria, Va.
Key findings include:
- Widespread support for increasing clean energy power in Texas. 85 percent of Texas voters – including 78 percent of Republicans – favor increasing the use of clean energy to generate electricity in Texas.
- Natural gas seen as a part of clean energy mix. Large percentages of voters view solar (94 percent), wind (94 percent), and natural gas (70 percent) as clean energy sources.
- Cleaner air, economic growth, and reduced dependence on foreign sources and oil prices viewed as most convincing reasons to increase clean energy in Texas. Less pollution and cleaner air in our communities was the top-ranked reason among Republican, Democratic, and independent voters.
- Voters, including Republicans, express strong majority support for 9 of 10 potential Texas clean energy policies, and proposals that provide consumers more freedom and level the playing field received the highest marks. The top-rated proposals include homeowners being able to install clean energy technologies without HOA interference, net metering for residential rooftop solar, lower rates for utility customers who use less electricity during peak hours, and extending the PACE program to homeowners.
- The federal Clean Power Plan debate is not well-known to Texas voters, and they are split along party lines in their views of it.
- Only one in seven Texas voters (14 percent) have seen, read or heard anything about the federal Clean Power Plan.
- After hearing a basic description of the federal Clean Power Plan, most Democrats (88 percent) and independents (65 percent) support it, while almost two-thirds (64 percent) of Republicans oppose it.
- When provided contrasting viewpoints on why the plan is a good or bad idea, Republican opposition hardens further, with 79 percent saying it's a bad idea. They are joined in this viewpoint by 53 percent of independents.
- However, most Texas voters – including six in 10 Republicans – believe that the state should prepare a Clean Power Plan proposal now instead of waiting for the Supreme Court to rule.
Eighteen states, including Texas, have challenged the federal Clean Power Plan in court. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the EPA to halt enforcement of the plan until the case is decided. Please listen to the following two viewpoints and then tell me which one comes closest to your own.
| Viewpoint |
All Voters |
GOP Voters |
| Some people say that Texas SHOULD prepare a Clean Power Plan proposal so that if the court allows the rule to stand, we will have our own plan ready to submit instead of letting the federal government dictate a plan that doesn't fit our state's needs. |
69% |
59% |
| Other people say that Texas should NOT prepare a Clean Power Plan proposal because the matter is still in limbo in the courts and there's still a chance it is overturned and that we won't have to take on costly regulations. |
27% |
34% |
- 85 percent of Texas voters – including eight in 10 Republicans – believe that the state of Texas should develop its own comprehensive plan to increase the use of clean energy regardless of whether the court overturns the federal Clean Power Plan.
"While Texas GOP voters are allergic to any perceived federal overreach on energy policy, they strongly support clean energy action at the state level, especially policies that give consumers more freedom," Baselice said.
"These results show that clean energy crosses party lines in Texas," said Soltis Anderson. "Texas voters, including the GOP base, see clear benefits to clean energy, believe natural gas is part of a clean energy future in Texas, and believe it is wise for the state to develop its own plans and not be at the whims of the federal government."
The top-line results and summary graphics are available on the TCEC website at www.texascleanenergy.org.
Survey Background
Baselice & Associates completed 801 telephone interviews with registered voters across Texas from April 12-17, 2016. Approximately 64 percent of the interviews were conducted on landlines and 36 percent were completed on cell phones. The margin of sampling error for the full statewide sample is +/- 3.5 percent. The survey design was informed by a series of focus groups conducted by Echelon Insights in March.
About the Texas Clean Energy Coalition
The Texas Clean Energy Coalition is an alliance of business and economic development groups, faith-based organizations, the Latino and African-American communities, labor, and academia dedicated to building a clean energy economy that creates jobs and economic growth in the Lone Star State. Its goal is to educate Texans and support a state energy policy that promotes clean energy markets, job growth, energy security and Texas' energy leadership in the U.S. and around the world. For more information, visit the coalition website at www.texascleanenergy.org.
SOURCE Texas Clean Energy Coalition (TCEC)