Wisconsin

Poll: Rural voters may be swingable

While partisanship remains strong among the rural electorate, more than one-third (37%) of rural voters appear "swingable" in future elections, depending on resonant policy proposals and messaging. Three messaging points — lowering prices; bringing good-paying jobs to local communities; and a populist message focused on corporate greed — received such broad support that they rivaled voters’ agreement on core values like family and freedom. Read additional analysis in the Daily Yonder's coverage.

Top State Energy Policies To Cut Carbon Emissions

Just five policies across the economy can dramatically cut state greenhouse gas emissions. These include clean electricity standards; zero-emission vehicle standards; clean building equipment standards; industrial efficiency and emissions standards; and standards for methane detection, capture, and destruction. This report evaluates emissions trajectories and policy impacts for six states: Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These states have widely varying emissions profiles. For example, Louisiana’s emissions are dominated by the industrial sector, while in Michigan, the building sector is a significant contributor. In New Mexico, home to significant oil and gas extraction, methane is a major source of GHG emissions.

Poll: Michigan and Wisconsin Voters Support the Inflation Reduction Act and Bold Actions to Address Climate Change

Michigan and Wisconsin voters widely support the Inflation Reduction Act and want more climate action on the state level. Additionally, large majorities in both states want to see their state expand clean energy and Wisconsin voters prefer a gubernatorial candidate who prioritizes climate change, pollution, and clean energy by a two-to-one margin over a candidate who doesn’t prioritize these issues. Michigan voters support the Inflation Reduction Act by a 64%-27% margin. 66% of Michigan want the state to produce more energy from clean energy sources such as wind and solar. Wisconsin voters support the Inflation Reduction Act by a 65%-29% margin. 65% of Wisconsin voters want the state to produce more energy from clean energy sources such as wind and solar. By a 62%-31% margin, Wisconsin voters prefer a gubernatorial candidate who prioritizes climate action, reducing pollution, and expanding clean energy over a candidate who doesn’t prioritize these issues.

Community Climate Conversations: Engaging and Empowering Local Action in a Changing World

Community-based climate communications can increase awareness, facilitate interpersonal connections, and lead to climate actions. This resource studied how the Twin Ports Climate Conversations (TPCC) project in the upper Midwest has influenced local climate awareness and response. TPCC brought professional environmentalists and concerned citizens together in 2016 for a monthly climate change presentation and discussion event. TPCC highlighted a variety of climate change–oriented topics with a critical emphasis on how climate change is affecting or will affect the Western Lake Superior region and the implications of these impacts. A survey of participants in TPCC conversations found that 72% of them made professional contacts from participation and 45% had taken some kind of climate action as a result of participating in TPCC. Some prominent examples of actions included "presented on climate and extreme storms to Duluth Chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers," "incorporated the information into my classroom curricula," and "planting different trees."             

Poll: Voters Strongly Back Climate-related Infrastructure Investments

Survey data from 19 competitive House districts across the US revealed strong support (59%), across party lines, for the American Jobs Plan. Notably, the provisions that would address the climate crisis garnered even stronger support than the overall infrastructure plan did.

Among the specific provisions designed to address the climate crisis:

  • 82% of voters support investments to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize public transportation to ensure it is cleaner and able to serve more people.
  • 81% of voters support overhauling our country’s drinking water infrastructure.
  • 70% of voters support addressing the challenge of climate change by shifting to greater use of clean energy, reducing carbon pollution from vehicles and industry, and making homes and buildings more energy efficient.
  • 69% of voters support investments in clean energy such as wind and solar power by extending tax credits to spur innovation and manufacturing.
  • 61% of voters support investments in electric vehicles and charging stations to reduce pollution and help more Americans buy clean cars.

 

Poll: Investing in American Clean Energy to Build the Industries of the Future

Key findings of a survey (phone and online) of US voters, with oversamples in key states include:

  • Voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support government investments in clean energy technologies in order to rebuild the economy (77%), create good jobs (76%), and eliminate the carbon emissions that cause climate change (75%). 
  • There's a widespread belief (75%) that investing in clean energy technologies will have economic benefits – including for "regular people." 
  • And also that by developing new clean technologies, we can replace many of the manufacturing and other blue-collar jobs that the country has lost over the last few decades (72%)
  • Strong support for various approaches to boost and develop specific clean energy technologies such as clean steel and cement, clean jet fuels, and energy storage and transmission.
  • Voters support investing $75 billion in clean energy tech RD&D as part of the upcoming infrastructure bill.