65% of Wisconsin Voters Support Inflation Reduction Act; 72% Want Gov. Evers to Aggressively Pursue Federal Clean Energy Money

Today, Evergreen Action and Data for Progress released new polling that shows that two-thirds of Wisconsin voters support the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and an even larger majority wants Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin leaders to aggressively pursue federal clean energy investments from the newly passed law.

The poll shows that 65% of Wisconsin voters support the IRA, including wide majorities of Democrats and Independents and 41% of Republicans. And 72% of Wisconsin voters—including majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—want Gov. Evers to pursue clean energy funding from the law.

And, looking forward to the 2022 gubernatorial election, 62% of Wisconsin voters would choose a candidate who “wants to prioritize addressing climate change,” while just 31% would pick a candidate who does not make climate a priority. Democrats pick a climate candidate by a 94% to 4% margin, while Independents prefer a climate candidate by a 63% to 25% margin.

Some key findings from Evergreen Action and Data for Progress are below, and the full poll results are available online here. 

Additional key findings:

• 61% of Wisconsin voters are concerned about climate change.

• 65% would like to see Wisconsin produce more energy from clean energy sources such as wind and solar power, while only 8% want to see Wisconsin produce less clean energy.

• 56% think Wisconsin should do more to address air pollution, following the Supreme Court’s decision to limit the EPA’s ability to regulate pollution from power plants that contribute to climate change.

“Wisconsin voters strongly support the new Inflation Reduction Act and want to see their elected leaders fully utilize the key climate investments in the law,” said Data for Progress Lead Climate Strategist Danielle Deiseroth. “This new poll shows that climate change is a top-of-mind concern for Wisconsin residents and climate action is a winning issue for gubernatorial candidates this November. Wisconsinites want to see their elected leaders take action to invest in clean energy. And, across the political spectrum, Wisconsin voters want Gov. Evers to aggressively pursue federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in Wisconsin’s future.”

“This poll confirms that climate action is widely popular, and Wisconsin leaders would be smart to lean into clean energy policies,” said Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad. “The Inflation Reduction Act provides a real opportunity for Wisconsin’s elected leaders to invest in clean energy that will lower costs and create good-paying jobs in communities throughout the state. State leadership will be critical to fully implementing the potential of the Inflation Reduction Act. Wisconsin is poised to benefit with major investments in clean energy production.” 

From July 29 to August 4, 2022, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 682 likely voters in Wisconsin using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±4 percentage points. 

Evergreen Collaborative recently issued a fact sheet highlighting how leaders in Wisconsin can take full advantage of the discretionary funding in the IRA and how the law’s programs align with the state’s existing climate and environmental justice strategies.  

Evergreen’s new polling is a part of a multi-state effort to support and advance state progress on clean energy, following federal passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The new law includes a historic $370 billion in clean energy investments that will slash emissions and make progress toward America’s greenhouse gas pollution reduction goals. State leadership—and effective, equitable state implementation of the IRA and the bipartisan federal infrastructure law—will be critical to fully reach America’s pollution reduction targets, and to build a thriving and just economy run on clean energy.

About Evergreen Action:

Evergreen is a climate policy organization focused on building the ambitious, actionable policy roadmap for an all-out mobilization to defeat climate change—and to create millions of jobs in a thriving, just, and inclusive clean energy future. Evergreen partners with climate and community leaders and advocates for federal and state leaders to adopt the urgent climate policies that science demands. 

About Data for Progress: 

Data for Progress is a progressive think tank and polling firm that arms movements with data-driven tools to fight for a more equitable future. DFP provides polling, data-based messaging, and policy generation for the progressive movement, and advises campaigns and candidates with the tools they need to win. DFP polling is regularly cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vox, and hundreds of other trusted news organizations.