Sept. 24, 2026 – While elected officials are divided on whether the government should seek to reduce emissions from coal, oil and gas, new surveys in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive congressional districts reveal substantial common ground among the general public.
Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans in every battleground state and district surveyed say it should be a high priority for the federal government to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and that the government should adopt a goal of reducing emissions by 2% a year.
To reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, bipartisan majorities favor using a combination of tax incentives and regulations, including:
- tax incentives for producing energy that has no greenhouse gas emissions (solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear)
- tax incentives for improving the energy-efficiency of homes and buildings
- requiring new cars to get more miles per gallon
- requiring electric companies to get a minimum portion of their energy from sources that do not produce greenhouse gas emissions
Bipartisan majorities say the government should work together with other countries to reduce emissions globally.
Transitioning away from fossil fuels will result in job losses in those industries. To mitigate those effects, large bipartisan majorities favor the government helping fossil fuel workers who lose their jobs by providing them with financial assistance and job training.
“We’ve been studying Americans’ views on energy and environmental policy for decades,” says Steven Kull, Director of the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation (PPC). “What we’ve consistently found nationally, and now in the battlegrounds, is that large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans want government action to reduce emissions and air pollution using a combination of tax incentives, regulations, and international cooperation.”
Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? Survey Series
This release is the tenth in the Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? survey series being conducted by PPC in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive U.S. House districts in advance of the midterm elections.
Surveys on fifteen topics are being released on a rolling basis, covering over 100 specific policy questions. The policies – most of which are pending legislative proposals in Congress – have elicited bipartisan agreement nationally. PPC is exploring whether the same bipartisan common ground found at the national level exists in the battlegrounds. The results for all individual states and districts surveyed can be found HERE. Previously released surveys: Artificial Intelligence, Housing, Healthcare, Low-Income Assistance, Families and Children, Social Security, Immigration, Abortion and Birth Control, and The Role of “We the People”.
Making it a High Priority to Reduce Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Overwhelming bipartisan majorities say that working to reduce air pollution should be a high priority for the government, including 91 to 98% of Democrats, 68 to 94% of Republicans, and 78 to 94% overall. Nationally, 94% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans say it should be a high priority, as do 86% overall.
Large bipartisan majorities also say that working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be a high priority for the government, including 87 to 99% of Democrats, 55 to 89% of Republicans, and 73 to 92% overall. Nationally, 93% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans say the same, as do 81% overall.
Adopting the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the US by 2% a year is favored by 84 to 96% of Democrats, 54 to 84% of Republicans, and 69 to 85% overall. Nationally, 90% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans are in favor, as are 80% overall.
Providing Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficiency
Providing tax credits for the production of energy that has no carbon emissions (e.g., solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear) is favored by 81 to 96% of Democrats, 49 to 90% of Republicans, and 68 to 89% overall. Arizona’s 6th district is the only district surveyed in which Republicans are divided (49% favor and 50% oppose). Nationally, 86% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans are in favor, as are 77% overall.
Providing tax credits for improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings is favored by 79 to 94% of Democrats, 68 to 87% of Republicans, and 75 to 89% overall. Nationally, 91% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans are in favor, and 84% overall.
Regulating Emissions of Cars and Electric Companies
Requiring that new cars get more miles per gallon is favored by 78 to 93% of Democrats, 62 to 82% of Republicans, and 70 to 85% overall. Nationally, 86% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans are in favor, as are 80% overall.
Requiring electric companies to get a minimum portion of their electricity from sources that do not produce greenhouse gas emissions is favored by 80 to 94% of Democrats, 48 to 83% of Republicans, and 66 to 82% overall. Michigan’s 8th district is the only district surveyed in which less than half of Republicans are in favor (48% favor and 51% oppose). Nationally, 87% of Democrats and 67% of Republicans are in favor, as are 76% overall.
Working to Reduce Emissions in the US and Internationally
The US making a commitment, together with other countries, to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases is favored by 83 to 96% of Democrats, 60 to 84% of Republicans, and 73 to 89% overall. Nationally, 91% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans are in favor, as are 82% overall.
A significant part of international efforts to reduce emissions is countries working together to study and share data about energy use and greenhouse gases, and their effect on the
climate. Large bipartisan majorities favor the US government taking part in these efforts, including 83 to 96% of Democrats, 58 to 84% of Republicans, and 69 to 89% overall. Nationally, 89% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans are in favor, as are 82% overall.
Assisting Fossil Fuel Workers Who Lose Their Job
To help workers who lose their jobs in the coal, oil, and gas industries as a result of the shift to carbon-free forms of energy, very large bipartisan majorities favor the government providing financial assistance and job training to help them transition to other employment. This includes 76 to 97% of Democrats, 67 to 89% of Republicans, and 76 to 91% overall. Nationally, 89% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans are in favor, as are 85% overall.
MORE INFORMATION
- Individual State and District Results
- National Questionnaire with Toplines, Crosstabs and Methodology
Methodology
The state and district surveys used for this analysis were fielded July 21 – August 17, 2026, to a total of 19,949 adults, including 600-2016 in each of the 11 states, and 499-592 in each of the 28 congressional districts. The response rates were 7.1 to 8.9%. The confidence intervals range from +/- 2.9 to 8.1%, and the maximum weights range from 3.7 to 10.0.
The national survey was fielded February 11-26, 2026, with 2,509 adults. The response rate was 7.6%. The confidence interval is +/- 2.9%, and the maximum weight is 2.5.
Sample was obtained from multiple online opt-in panels, including Cint, Dynata and Prodege. Sample collection and quality control were managed by QuantifyAI under the direction of the Program for Public Consultation. The surveys were offered in both English and Spanish.
The samples were pre-stratified and weighted by age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, household income, marital status, and home ownership to match the general adult population. The national sample was further weighted by Census region. Partisan distributions in each sample were within expectations, based on voter registration or Cook’s Partisan Voting Index, or weighted to reflect those benchmarks.
About the Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? Survey Series
The Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? project will conduct and release a survey series in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive U.S. House districts that will be released on a rolling basis between now and the midterm elections. Surveys will cover 15 topics and include over 100 specific policy questions. The goal of this effort is to determine where there is bipartisan common ground in competitive states and districts across the nation. Additionally, the project seeks to educate the public, policymakers and candidates about the findings; and provide journalists with independent, nonpartisan research that brings the public into the conversation about public policy.
In addition to PPC, project partners include the Civic Innovation Center at the University of Maryland (CivIC) and Voice of the People (VOP), a national nonpartisan organization seeking to give the public a greater voice in government. None of these entities advocate for policy positions or endorse candidates.
States surveyed: Alaska; Georgia; Iowa; Maine; Michigan; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Ohio; and Texas.
Congressional Districts surveyed: Arizona’s 1st and 6th; Colorado’s 8th; Iowa’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th; Maine’s 2nd; Michigan’s 4th, 7th, 8th and 10th; Montana’s 1st; Nebraska’s 2nd; Nevada’s 3rd; New Jersey’s 7th and 9th; New Mexico’s 2nd; New York’s 3rd, 4th, 17th and 19th; Oregon’s 5th; Pennsylvania’s 1st, 7th, 8th and 10th; and Washington’s 3rd.
Program for Public Consultation
The Program for Public Consultation (PPC), affiliated with the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, seeks to improve democratic governance by consulting the public and bringing the people’s views into the public discourse. It conducts surveys with representative samples on policies proposed by elected officials and shares its findings with government officials, the media, other academics, and the general public.
Civic Innovation Center
The Civic Innovation Center (CivIC) at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy works to strengthen the foundations of civic health. It contributes to important debates about civic education, civic engagement, and needed democratic reforms in the state of Maryland and nationwide, in partnership with other BIG 10 universities. It works to build the connective tissue that brings together students, scholars and practitioners to help elevate the UMD community’s contribution to our wider democracy.
Voice of the People
Voice of the People (VOP) is a nonpartisan organization working to re-anchor our democracy in its founding principles by giving ‘We the People’ a greater and more effective voice in government. It champions innovative methods and technology that enable the American people to play a role in the policymaking process and provide policymakers with a more accurate understanding of the views of their constituents.