Post-election Poll Confirms Bipartisan Support for Barack Obama’s Clean Energy Plans

Cross-posted from the Breakthrough Institute and WattHead - Energy News and Commentary

This week, we’ve been writing about President-elect Barack Obama’s powerful mandate to build a new, clean energy economy and revitalize our nation’s ailing economy. A new post-election poll from Zogby Interactive confirms that Americans overwhelmingly view new investments in clean energy as critical to revitalizing America’s ailing economy.

The poll found that more than three out of four voters - 78% - support clean energy investments to revitalize the economy, with 50% saying they strongly agree that clean energy investment is vital to the nation’s economic future.

Clean energy investments enjoy broad, bipartisan support as well, the poll found. According to Zogby:

“While the vast majority of Democrats (96%) and independent voters (77%) view clean energy investment as a key means to boost the U.S. economy, more than half of Republican voters (58%) also said the same.”

Support for clean energy investments is strongest among young voters, African Americans and latinos, three demographics that were critical to Obama’s landslide electoral success.

Zogby found that:

“Support for clean energy investment is particularly strong among younger voters - 87% of those age 18-24 and 80% of those age 18-29 believe this type of investment is necessary to help improve the U.S. economy. African American voters (94%) and Hispanic voters (84%) also showed overwhelming support for clean energy investment.”

“While the economy was the top issue in the 2008 election, clean energy clearly emerged as part of voter expectations for getting the economy back on track,” said John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. “Support for action on global warming, already strong in the 2006 election, was even stronger in 2008, particularly among young voters that are the future electorate.”

The Zogby Interactive survey of 3,357 voters nationwide was conducted Nov. 5-6, 2008, and carries a margin of error of +/- 1.7 percentage points. The survey was commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation.

About Jesse

Jesse is a young activist, organizer, policy analyst and blogger. He is currently the director of energy and climate policy at the Breakthrough Institute where he helps Breakthrough develop and advance new energy solutions to power America's future, secure our energy freedom, and halt global warming. Jesse joined the Breakthrough team in June 2008 to co-direct the Breakthrough Generation Summer Fellows Program. Before joining the Breakthrough Institute, Jesse spent two years as a Research and Policy Associate at the Renewable Northwest Project where he worked to advance the development of the Pacific Northwest's abundant renewable energy potential. While at RNP, he helped pass two statewide renewable energy standards (in WA and OR) and block plans to build 800 MW of new coal plants. In the past, Jesse has worked as a researcher and software developer with the Department of Physics at the University of Oregon, where he focused on alternative vehicles and fuels, and as a teacher's assistant in energy studies courses at the university. Jesse has a long history of grassroots climate and energy activism and co-founded the Cascade Climate Network, the Northwest's largest network of youth working to tackle the climate crisis and build a sustainable, just, and prosperous future. An active blogger, Jesse is the founder and blogmaster of the site, WattHead - Energy News and Commentary. He currently writes at several sites throughout the blogosphere and has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and Baltimore Sun. Jesse graduated in 2006 with a B.S. from the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, where he completed an interdisciplinary course of study in computer science, philosophy, liberal arts, political science & energy studies. Jesse currently lives in Berkeley, CA.

3 Responses to “Post-election Poll Confirms Bipartisan Support for Barack Obama’s Clean Energy Plans”

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1 Aaron Nov 9th, 2008 at 11:16 pm

What about Obama’s not clean energy plans?
Offshore drilling, “clean coal”, “safe nuclear”, I certainly hope our movement which rightly is caught up in the historic Obama election, doesn’t see his presidency as a panacea for the climate change problem. I think we really need to be aware of how much we promote t his man and his ideas for America so we don’t fall into the trap the environmental movement fell into with the Clinton administration. Obama’s “hope” for a “change” in our energy economy could be nothing more than intelligent and attractive messaging. I mean c’mon, the man received $ 213,000 from individuals who work in the oil and gas industry. So friends, stay hopeful, cheerful and excited, but let’s agree to keep on our toes around this eh?
2 Stop being polite and start getting real Nov 10th, 2008 at 1:55 am

Now that the election is over we should start seriously scrutinizing some of his anti-environment rhetoric. “Clean coal” - fo’ realz? It’s Getting Hot in Here needs to stop kowtowing and start demanding results!
3 d.l. Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:07 am

i strongly agree with both of the above