Climate Poll Memo

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From: Tom Jensen, Director of Public Policy Polling

Subject: Voters wont elect climate denier in 2016, GOP stance hurts with independents

Date: June 3, 2014


A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that the carbon emission reduction standards
announced by President Obama yesterday are popular with voters across the country, and
that voters have little tolerance for a Presidential candidate in 2016 who doesnt believe
that climate change is caused by human activity. Crucial independent voters, in
particular, are not sympathetic to the GOPs climate skepticism.
Key findings from the survey include:
-Voters support the 30% reduction standard in carbon pollution from existing power
plants by an 18 point margin, 53/35. Independents (59/29) are particularly strong in their
support for the standards.
-Voters, and particularly independents, dont have much tolerance for climate skeptics
when it comes to the 2016 Presidential race. Only 38% of voters say theyd be willing to
support a candidate who doesnt believe global warming is caused by human activity, and
by an 11 point margin they say they would be less likely to vote for such a candidate.
When it comes to independents just 29% would be open to supporting a climate skeptic.
-This issue could be particularly problematic for Senator Marco Rubio given his recent
comments on it. Voters say by a 56/33 margin that they have more faith in the scientists
than Rubio when it comes to the issue of climate change, and among independents its
57/27. Rubio starts out trailing Hillary Clinton by a 49/42 spread in a hypothetical match
up anyway, and when respondents were informed about Rubios stance on climate
change it pushed Clintons lead up to 9 points at 50/41. Thats a wider margin than
Barack Obama won either of his elections by.
The politics on this issue are pretty clear. Voters believe in man made climate change,
and they support President Obamas new initiative to help deal with it. Republicans risk
putting themselves in an even deeper hole with independent voters by continuing to
express their skepticism, and it has the potential to help cost them yet another Presidential
election in 2016.
PPP surveyed 735 registered voters on June 2nd on behalf of Americans United for
Change. The surveys margin of error is +/-3.6%
Public Policy Polling
2912 Highwoods Blvd.
Raleigh, NC 27604

Phone: 888 621-6988


Web: www.publicpolicypolling.com
Email: [email protected]

National Survey Results


Q1

Do you support or oppose requiring existing


power plants to cut carbon pollution by up to
30%?

Q6

Support ........................................................... 53%


Oppose ........................................................... 35%

Scientists ........................................................ 56%

Not sure .......................................................... 12%

Q2

If the candidates for President in 2016 were


Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican
Marco Rubio, who would you vote for?
Hillary Clinton.................................................. 49%

Rubio .............................................................. 33%


Not sure .......................................................... 11%

Q7

Marco Rubio ................................................... 42%


Undecided....................................................... 9%

Q3

Do you believe that global warming is occurring


and being caused by human activity?

Marco Rubio ................................................... 41%

No ................................................................... 39%

Q4

Would you be willing to support a candidate for


President in 2016 who did not believe that
global warming was being caused by human
activity?
Yes.................................................................. 38%
No ................................................................... 46%
Not sure .......................................................... 16%

Q5

If a candidate for President did not believe that


global warming was being caused by human
activity, would that make you more or less
likely to vote for them in 2016, or would it not
make a difference either way?
More likely....................................................... 32%
Less likely ....................................................... 43%
Wouldn't make a difference............................. 22%
Not sure .......................................................... 3%

June 2, 2014
Survey of 735 registered voters

Now that you know Marco Rubio does not


believe that global warming is being caused by
human activity, if the candidates for President
in 2016 were Democrat Hillary Clinton and
Republican Marco Rubio, who would you vote
for?
Hillary Clinton.................................................. 50%

Yes.................................................................. 53%
Not sure .......................................................... 8%

More than 90% of scientists think global


warming is being caused by human activity.
Marco Rubio thinks global warming is not
caused by human activity. Who do you trust
more on this issue: the scientists or Marco
Rubio?

Undecided....................................................... 9%

Q8

If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.


Woman ........................................................... 53%
Man................................................................. 47%

Q9

If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,


press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ........................................................ 38%
Republican...................................................... 37%
Independent / Other........................................ 25%

Q10 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.


If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic .......................................................... 10%
White .............................................................. 73%
African-American ............................................ 12%
Other............................................................... 5%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Q11 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to


45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29........................................................... 12%
30 to 45........................................................... 27%
46 to 65........................................................... 41%
Older than 65 .................................................. 20%

June 2, 2014
Survey of 735 registered voters

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Gender
Base Wom an

Gender

Man

Support/Oppose
Requiring Carbon
Pollution Cuts

Base Wom an

Support 53%

58%

47%

Oppose 35%

27%

44%

Not sure 12%

15%

9%

Hillary Clinton 49%

56%

40%

Marco Rubio 42%

36%

48%

8%

11%

Undecided

9%

Gender
Base Wom an

Gender
Man

Global Warm ing Occurring/Manm ade?


Yes 53%

60%

46%

No 39%

31%

49%

9%

6%

Not sure

8%

Base Wom an

Base Wom an

Yes 38%

34%

42%

No 46%

48%

44%

Not sure 16%

18%

14%

Gender
Man

Trust Scienctists or
Rubio?

More likely 32%

31%

33%

Less likely 43%

45%

40%

Wouldn't m ake a 22%


difference

20%

26%

5%

2%

survey of 735 registered voters

Base Wom an

Man

More/Less Likely to
Support Candidate
Who Doesn't Believe
in Manm ade Clim ate
Change

Not sure

Man

Willing to Support
Candidate Who
Doesn't Believe in
Manm ade Clim ate
Change?

Gender

June 2, 2014

Man

Clinton/Rubio 1

3%

Scientists 56%

62%

49%

Rubio 33%

27%

40%

Not sure 11%

11%

11%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Party

Gender
Base Wom an

Man

Base Dem ocrat Republican

Clinton/Rubio 2
Hillary Clinton 50%

57%

41%

Marco Rubio 41%

34%

48%

9%

10%

Undecided

9%

Support/Oppose
Requiring Carbon
Pollution Cuts
Support 53%

84%

16%

59%

Oppose 35%

5%

70%

29%

Not sure 12%

11%

14%

12%

Party

Party
Base Dem ocrat Republican

Independent
/ Other

Clinton/Rubio 1
Hillary Clinton 49%

92%

8%

43%

Marco Rubio 42%

4%

86%

36%

Undecided

4%

9%

6%

22%

Base Dem ocrat Republican

Independent
/ Other

Global Warm ing Occurring/Manm ade?


Yes 53%

88%

15%

57%

No 39%

5%

78%

33%

6%

7%

10%

Not sure

8%

Party

Party

Independent
/ Other
Base Dem ocrat Republican
Willing to Support
Candidate Who
Doesn't Believe in
Manm ade Clim ate
Change?

Base Dem ocrat Republican

Independent
/ Other

More/Less Likely to
Support Candidate
Who Doesn't Believe
in Manm ade Clim ate
Change

Yes 38%

18%

63%

29%

No 46%

70%

22%

Not sure 16%

12%

15%

More likely 32%

13%

56%

25%

46%

Less likely 43%

71%

15%

40%

25%

Wouldn't m ake a 22%


difference

13%

28%

28%

3%

2%

7%

Not sure

June 2, 2014

Independent
/ Other

survey of 735 registered voters

3%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Party

Party

Base Dem ocrat Republican

Independent
/ Other

Trust Scienctists or
Rubio?

Base Dem ocrat Republican


Clinton/Rubio 2

Scientists 56%

93%

17%

57%

Rubio 33%

3%

70%

27%

Not sure 11%

5%

14%

17%

Hillary Clinton 50%

93%

8%

45%

Marco Rubio 41%

4%

85%

34%

4%

7%

21%

Undecided

9%

Race

Race

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Support/Oppose
Requiring Carbon
Pollution Cuts

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Clinton/Rubio 1

Support 53%

45%

54%

55%

42%

Oppose 35%

33%

36%

28%

51%

Not sure 12%

22%

10%

18%

6%

Hillary Clinton 49%

61%

45%

69%

35%

Marco Rubio 42%

35%

46%

29%

30%

4%

9%

2%

35%

Undecided

9%

Race

Race

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Global Warm ing Occurring/Manm ade?
Yes 53%

48%

53%

66%

38%

No 39%

43%

40%

29%

50%

10%

7%

5%

12%

Not sure

June 2, 2014

Independent
/ Other

survey of 735 registered voters

8%

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Willing to Support
Candidate Who
Doesn't Believe in
Manm ade Clim ate
Change?
Yes 38%

54%

35%

36%

48%

No 46%

41%

46%

53%

33%

Not sure 16%

5%

19%

11%

19%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Race

Race

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


More/Less Likely to
Support Candidate
Who Doesn't Believe
in Manm ade Clim ate
Change

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Trust Scienctists or
Rubio?

More likely 32%

49%

29%

30%

38%

Less likely 43%

31%

45%

44%

28%

Wouldn't m ake a 22%


difference

17%

23%

21%

32%

2%

3%

5%

1%

Not sure

3%

Scientists 56%

60%

54%

70%

36%

Rubio 33%

33%

35%

28%

22%

Not sure 11%

7%

11%

3%

42%

Race

Age

AfricanBase Hispanic White Am erican Other


Clinton/Rubio 2
Hillary Clinton 50%

59%

46%

70%

37%

Marco Rubio 41%

34%

44%

28%

38%

7%

10%

3%

25%

Undecided

9%

Base
Support/Oppose
Requiring Carbon
Pollution Cuts
Support 53%

45%

51%

58%

48%

Oppose 35%

44%

38%

32%

34%

Not sure 12%

11%

11%

10%

19%

Age
Base

Age

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

Clinton/Rubio 1
Hillary Clinton 49%

49%

48%

51%

45%

Marco Rubio 42%

48%

40%

40%

46%

3%

12%

9%

9%

Undecided

9%

Base

survey of 735 registered voters

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

Global Warm ing Occurring/Manm ade?


Yes 53%

48%

52%

58%

50%

No 39%

42%

43%

37%

36%

10%

6%

5%

14%

Not sure

June 2, 2014

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

8%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

Age

Age
Base

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

Base
More/Less Likely to
Support Candidate
Who Doesn't Believe
in Manm ade Clim ate
Change

Willing to Support
Candidate Who
Doesn't Believe in
Manm ade Clim ate
Change?
Yes 38%

62%

37%

34%

30%

More likely 32%

50%

32%

27%

31%

No 46%

35%

46%

48%

47%

Less likely 43%

35%

42%

45%

43%

Not sure 16%

3%

17%

17%

23%

Wouldn't m ake a 22%


difference

15%

24%

24%

20%

1%

4%

7%

Not sure

3%

Age

Age
Base

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

Trust Scienctists or
Rubio?

June 2, 2014

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

18 to 30 to 46 to Older
29
45
65 than 65

Clinton/Rubio 2

Scientists 56%

52%

55%

58%

54%

Rubio 33%

45%

33%

30%

34%

Not sure 11%

3%

12%

12%

13%

survey of 735 registered voters

Base

Hillary Clinton 50%

52%

48%

51%

48%

Marco Rubio 41%

39%

41%

40%

43%

9%

10%

9%

10%

Undecided

9%

3020 Highwoods Blvd.


Raleigh, NC 27604
[email protected] / 888 621-6988

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