Memo: Battleground Senate Voters Support Bold Climate Action

By Danielle Deiseroth

Executive Summary

  • Voters in the key senate battleground states of Arizona, Iowa, Maine, and North Carolina support a broad range of climate policies and are more likely to support candidates that pledge bold climate action

  • A plurality of voters in these battleground states (41 percent) think Congress should make addressing climate change a Day 1 priority 

  • A majority of voters (53 percent) support the Biden clean energy investment plan, even after hearing Republican arguments against it

  • Voters support an ‘Equity Screen’ on all new major federal infrastructure investments to ensure funds go to the communities that need it the most by an overwhelming 49-point-margin

A progressive climate policy is a winning strategy for Democrats across the country and in key senate battleground states. In July, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, unveiled his new clean energy infrastructure plan after receiving recommendations from the campaign’s joint task force with representatives from the campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders. The Build Back Better plan, which includes $2 trillion in funding over the next four years for clean infrastructure projects, signals Biden’s commitment to prioritizing climate change in his administration. 

Data for Progress polling on the Build Back Better plan shows that voters express high support for investing in clean energy infrastructure, eliminating carbon emissions from the power sector by 2035, and guaranteeing funds for frontline communities that are most affected by climate change and pollution. Our polling shows that bold climate policies could bridge the gap for Democrats winning back the Senate and White House.