US presidential election: Global warming is happening, say voters

With the exception of Ted Cruz voters, most supporters of the Democratic and Republican candidates think global warming is happening, according to a recent national survey conducted by the George Mason University’s Centre for Climate Change Communication.

The report, titled Global Warming and the U.S. Presidential Election, reveals the level of support thus: Sanders: 93%, Clinton: 92%, Kasich: 71%, Trump: 56%.

By contrast, fewer than half of Ted Cruz supporters – 38% – think global warming is happening. Now that Cruz has suspended his campaign – and Trump is the presumptive nominee – it will be interesting to see if Cruz backers decide to support Trump or sit this election out.

Other findings include:

Registered voters support a broad array of energy policies, including many designed to reduce carbon pollution and dependence on fossil fuels, and to promote clean energy. The Democratic candidates’ backers are the most likely to strongly or somewhat support such policies, but backers of the Republican candidates do as well, including:

• Funding more research into renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power (Sanders: 93%, Clinton: 91%, Kasich: 86%, Trump: 76%, Cruz: 64%).
• Providing tax rebates to people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (Sanders: 94%, Clinton: 92%, Kasich: 80%, Trump: 70%, Cruz: 59%).

At least half the supporters of all candidates except Cruz would also support:

• Regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (Clinton: 91%, Sanders: 87%, Kasich: 74%, Trump: 62%, Cruz: 47%).
• Requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a carbon tax and using the money to reduce other taxes such as income taxes by an equal amount (Sanders: 88%, Clinton: 85%, Kasich: 53%, Trump: 51%, Cruz: 27%).

The report also provides the demographic characteristics of each candidate’s supporters. For example, Clinton supporters are more likely to be African-American, women, Catholics, and Baby Boomers than supporters of the other candidates.

Trump supporters are more likely to be white, male, Baby Boomers with a high school education.

Cruz supporters are more likely to be southern, older, white, evangelical, men, and very conservative.

According to the George Mason University, the report includes more results on how each candidate’s backers are similar to and different from one another demographically and on the issue of climate change.