Memo: Texas Voters Want to Transition to Clean Energy
By Lew Blank, Devi Ruia, and Danielle Deiseroth
Executive Summary
President Biden’s newly released American Jobs Plan, if passed, would create millions of good-paying, union jobs modernizing America’s infrastructure and energy grid. The $2 trillion package calls for landmark new investments that would boost our economy and reduce hazardous pollution while accelerating America’s transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. New nationwide polling from Data for Progress shows that voters across party lines overwhelmingly support this investment.
Despite the fact that the bill would greatly expand employment and revitalize local economies across the U.S., some lawmakers who oppose this investment are already attempting to strike back with a familiar — and inaccurate — talking point: “This agenda will be a job-killer.” The ability to refute these talking points is especially critical in Texas, which produces nearly half of American crude oil and serves as the nation’s leader in natural gas production, but is also positioning itself as a new national leader in renewable energy production.
In a recent statewide survey, Data for Progress assessed the attitudes of likely Texas voters, including an oversample of Latino voters, toward climate change, pollution, and transitioning to clean energy. Furthermore, Data for Progress assessed how support for clean energy investments is impacted when voters are faced with oppositional arguments claiming these investments will be “job-killers.”
