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Politics & Global Warming, Fall 2015


1. Support for Political Candidates

1.1. Americans are more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly supports taking action to reduce global warming.

Asked if they would be more or less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly supports action to reduce global warming, or if it would make no difference, registered voters are more than twice as likely to say they would be more (36%) rather than less likely (16%) to vote for such a candidate.

 

Image for Voters Favor Climate-Friendly Candidates
Image for Voters Favor Climate-Friendly Candidates

On balance, Democrats say they are more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly supports taking action to reduce global warming than less likely to vote for such a candidate (+46 percentage points), which rises to +61 points among liberal Democrats. Likewise, Independents are

+25 points and liberal and moderate Republicans are +23 points more likely to vote for such a candidate. Conservative Republicans, however, say they are less likely to vote for such a candidate (-19 points).

Democrats and liberal/moderate Republicans are more likely to voice support on social media (+23 and +4 percentage points, respectively) for a candidate who supports taking action to reduce global warming. Conservative Republicans, conversely, are 33 percentage points less likely.

Democrats are more likely to donate money to the campaign of a presidential candidate who supports climate action (+18 points), but Independents and Republicans are less likely to (-9 and -24 points, respectively).

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1.2. Americans are less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly opposes taking action to reduce global warming.

Asked if they would be more, less, or as willing to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly opposes action to reduce global warming, registered voters are more than three times more likely to vote against such a candidate, than to vote for them (43% vs. 13%, respectively).

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Democrats, Independents and liberal/moderate Republicans are much less likely to vote for a candidate who opposes climate action (-56, -21, and -30 percentage points respectively). On balance, only a few more conservative Republicans say they are more likely to vote for such a candidate (+6 percentage points).

Democrats, Independents and liberal/moderate Republicans are less likely to voice support on social media (-41, -15, and -18 percentage points, respectively) or donate money to the campaign of a candidate who opposes climate action (-45, -23, and -18 points, respectively).

Democrats are more likely to donate money to the campaign of a presidential candidate who supports climate action (+18 points), but Independents and Republicans are less likely to (-9 and -24 points, respectively).

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