Floridians overwhelmingly support policies that level the playing field for American energy producers.

Florida Statewide – Memo D2

TO:                          INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM:                   NEIL NEWHOUSE & LUKE JACKSON

SUBJECT:              FLORIDA SURVEY RESULTS

DATE:                     JUNE 20, 2024

METHODOLOGY

Public Opinion Strategies completed a survey of N=1,000 registered voters in Florida on behalf of an energy client from April 23-27, 2024.  The survey was conducted via a mixed-mode online panel and text-to-web methodology and has a credibility interval of  ± 3.53 in 95 out of 100 cases.  The purpose of this memo is to review the key findings from the survey.

 There are two key sections to this memo; the first reviews the findings from the portion of the poll that deals with attitudes toward the economic and environmental threat that China poses to the United States.  The second section deals with Floridians’ attitudes toward the environment in the state and the importance they place on protecting it.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT CHINA POSES TO THE UNITED STATES

Not only do Florida voters overwhelmingly consider China to pose an economic threat to the United States, but they believe China doesn’t play by the rules, using weak environmental laws and high pollution practices to gain a competitive advantage over American companies.

There is near a consensus that foreign countries with more pollution (including China) should be held accountable when their products enter the U.S. so that American companies have a level playing field. Further, they strongly support placing a fee on high pollution products entering the U.S. to ensure American manufacturers can compete fairly.

Finally, fully three-fourths of Florida voters specifically believe that China’s pollution is impacting their state through more intense heat waves and stronger storm surge.

KEY FINDINGS: THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT CHINA POSES TO THE UNITED STATES

Fully 90% of Florida voters believe that China is a “serious” threat to the economic security of the United States.

More than half of those interviewed (54%) believe that China poses a “very serious” threat to the economic security of the U.S., while another 36% say China poses a “somewhat serious” threat.  This sentiment cuts            across party lines, as at least 85% of R’s, I’s and D’s in the state believe China poses a serious economic threat to the U.S.

Nearly 90% of Florida voters believe it is true that “China uses weak environmental laws and high pollution practices to gain a competitive advantage over American companies.”

By an 87%-13% margin, Americans believe the following statement is true:

China uses weak environmental laws and high pollution practices to gain a competitive advantage over American companies.

At least 85% of voters across party lines believe this statement is true.

Florida voters want a level economic playing field – they overwhelmingly believe that foreign countries with more pollution should be held accountable when their “high-pollution products” enter the U.S.

By a huge 92%-8% margin, voters agree that: “Foreign countries with more pollution should be held accountable when their high pollution products enter the U.S. to ensure U.S. producers can compete fairly.”

Fully 90% of Florida voters support placing a pollution fee on high pollution products brought into this country from China and other foreign countries.

Once again, support hits the 90% mark in support of:

Placing a pollution fee on high pollution imports from China and other countries in order to level the playing field and ensure U.S. manufacturers can compete fairly.

Most Florida voters believe that China’s pollution is causing more intense heat waves, and stronger storm surge in Florida.

Fully 74% of Florida voters believe that because China is the world’s largest polluter and that it adversely impacts the U.S. and leads to more intense heat waves and storm surge in the state.

At least two-thirds of voters across party lines believe this to be true.

Ninety percent of Florida voters agree that high polluting countries like China should be held accountable for their contribution to climate change.

Again, by a 90%-10% margin, Florida voters say they want to hold foreign countries accountable for their high pollution levels, with at least 87% of voters across party lines agreeing.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THE FLORIDA CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Florida voters deeply appreciate the state’s natural environment and believe that each of seven environmental challenges the state is facing are getting worse, are impacting their lives and are important for state leaders to address. Further, they tend to believe that most of these challenges can generally be attributed to the impact of climate change. Many of the attitudes expressed by voters in this poll cut across party lines, with minimal differences between Republicans and Democrats.

Further, Floridians are very dissatisfied with the current state of the property insurance marketplace in the state, with voters squarely placing the blame on the insurance companies.

Finally, there is strong, broad support for a constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November 2024 that would make it a constitutional right to hunt and fish in the state of Florida.

KEY FINDINGS: THE FLORIDA CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Fully 85% of Florida voters (86% of Republicans and 83% of Democrats) believe the state’s natural environment is important to the state’s economy, and most believe that each of seven environmental challenges facing Florida have gotten worse in recent years.

A majority of Florida voters believe that six of the seven environmental challenges the state is facing can be attributed to climate change.

Not only do most voters in the state (again, across party lines) say that these challenges impact their lives, but also say that it is important that they be addressed, with both Republican and Democratic voters agreeing.

When it comes to the issue of the South Florida sea water temperature, most Floridians say it has gotten worse, it can be attributed to climate change, it impacts people’s lives, and it is an important issue to be addressed.

There is overwhelming support (92%) for recently enacted state legislation directing more than $3 billion in investments in the Everglades and to protect the state’s water resources.

This legislation enjoys wide support across the political spectrum, including 93% of both Republicans and Democrats, and 90% of Independent voters.

Florida voters also strongly support (93%) Congressional legislation that would boost coastal resiliency, increase conservation measures, and reduce the pollution leading to climate change.

Republicans in Florida are firmly behind this Congressional legislation (89% Support), along with near unanimous support among Democrats (97%).

More than eight-in-ten Floridians say they are dissatisfied with the current state of Florida’s property insurance marketplace, and nearly a majority (49%) believe insurance companies are most to blame for the insurance premium hikes in the state.

A majority of voters across party lines report being “very dissatisfied” with the state of the insurance market, and believe that the best way for Florida leaders to address the issue is a combination of government                 regulations and litigation, as well as focusing on the issue of climate change.

Near majorities of Republicans (50%) and Democrats (47%) blame insurance companies the most for the hikes, followed in a distant second by “changing weather conditions” (17% GOP / 26% DEM).

Florida voters enthusiastically support a constitutional amendment that would establish a right to hunt and fish in the state, with 62% of voters saying they would vote “Yes” in favor of passing this amendment, clearing the 60% threshold for passing such a measure in Florida.

Majorities across the political spectrum support this amendment, including 75% of Republicans, 57% of Independents, and 51% of Democrats. Overall, 24% of voters remain undecided on this ballot question.

Public Opinion Strategies