blogs.sacbee.com

August 1, 2012

Poll: Climate change weighs heavy on Californians’ minds

Two-thirds of likely California voters say global warming is a threat to the state’s economic future and quality of life, and a wide majority — 62 percent — continues to favor the state’s greenhouse gas reduction law, Assembly Bill 32, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll.

The electorate’s attitude about the environment colors its view of President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, according to the poll. Nearly three-quarters of likely voters say the presidential candidates’ positions on climate change and energy policy are very important or somewhat important to how they will vote.

Not surprisingly in heavily Democratic California, a majority of likely voters — 54 percent — trusts Obama more than Romney to handle these issues, while 33 percent of likely voters trust Romney more.

Likely voters favor Obama over Romney in their presidential matchup by 11 percentage points, 51 percent to 40 percent.