UT/TT Poll: It’s a Highly Partisan Issue but Texans Say Climate Change Is Happening

Two-thirds of Texas registered voters believe climate change is happening, but their urgency about it varies considerably, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Less than a quarter of voters — 23% — say climate change is not happening, and another 12% say they aren’t sure. The partisan splits are big. Among registered voters who identify themselves as Democrats, 88% say climate change is happening, a view shared by 74% of independents and 44% of Republicans. Another 42% of Republican voters don’t think climate change is happening.

UT/TT POLL

Do you think climate change is happening?

Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Margin of error = ± 2.83 percentage points. Source: University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, October 2019; Credit: Stephanie Adeline

Among those who believe climate change is underway, 72% say they are “very worried” (34%) or “somewhat worried” (34%), while 28% say either they are “not very worried” or “not at all worried” about it. Among the Democrats in that group, 89% are very or somewhat worried. Among the Republicans who believe climate change is happening, 48% say they’re worried. And 68% of independents say they’re worried about climate change.

Overall, 47% say the federal government should be doing “a great deal” or “a lot” about climate change, while 31% say government should do “a little” or “nothing.” Another 16% took the middle road, saying government should do “a moderate amount.” The partisan lines are evident here: 79% of Democrats, 41% of independents and 18% of Republicans say the government should be doing a great deal or a lot about climate change. On the other hand, 8% of Democrats, 23% of independents and 55% of Republicans say the federal government should be doing a little or nothing about it.

UT/TT POLL

How much should government be doing about climate change?

Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Margin of error = ± 2.83 percentage points. Source: University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, October 2019; Credit: Stephanie Adelin

The numbers point to a wedge issue that has the parties on opposite sides in a way that could separate voters into camps, particularly on the question of government action.

“The only thing I see here is a way for Democrats to target Republicans,” said poll co-director Daron Shaw, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “And it might be a way for Republicans to target older Democrats.”

Sixty percent of Texas voters under age 29 favor a great deal or a lot of government action, as do 55% of those between 30 and 44 years of age. But among voters 45 and older, only about two in five strongly favor government action.

The University of Texas/Texas Tribune internet survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted from Oct. 18-27 and has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.83 percentage points, and an overall margin of error of +/- 4.11 percentage points on the question about worry over climate change. Numbers in charts might not add up to 100% because of rounding.

“Texans say climate change is happening, but it’s a highly partisan issue, UT/TT Poll finds” was first published by The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2019/11/06/texans-say-climate-change-happening-highly-partisan-issue-uttt-poll/

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism.

Topics Texas Education Climate Change Universities