Poll: Atlanta suburban voters represented by Reps. McBath, Bourdeaux rate climate provisions of infrastructure plan highly

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Proposal builds bridges across party lines in Georgia’s 6th, 7th Congressional Districts

Environment Georgia

ATLANTA — A new poll released Thursday revealed strong bipartisan support for President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal across the political spectrum in Georgia’s 6th and 7th Congressional Districts. The districts, represented by Rep. Lucy McBath and Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, includes much of the suburbs north of Atlanta. This survey, providing district-specific data on how voters view the American Jobs Plan (AJP), is sponsored by Environment Georgia, Earthjustice and Environment America.

The poll found that overall, voters in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District support the bill by a 66 percent to 26 percent margin. Sixty-three percent of the all-important Independent voters polled in the 6th District approve of the plan. In Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, voters support the bill by 67 percent to 26 percent, including 63 percent of Independents polled. 

Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed in the 6th District and 58 percent of voters in the 7th District said Congress should pass the bill if a bipartisan majority of the U.S. public supports it, even if Congress does not reflect that bipartisanship.

On multiple measures, voters in the district clearly signal that components of the AJP that focus specifically on climate change and clean energy are a significant selling point. When told that the plan includes a major emphasis on investments to expand the use of clean energy, such as wind and solar power, to tackle the climate crisis and create jobs, 69 percent of voters in the 6th District and 70 percent in the 7th District firmly say that this approach makes them more likely to support the AJP.

Among the specific provisions designed to address the climate crisis:

  • 83 percent of voters in the 6th District and 82 percent of voters in the 7th District support investments to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize public transportation to ensure it is cleaner and able to serve more people.

  • 80 percent of voters in the 6th District and 83 percent of voters in the 7th District support overhauling our country’s drinking water infrastructure.

  • 75 percent of voters in the 6th District and 73 percent of voters in the 7th District support investing in mass transit to reduce vehicle pollution and expand mass transportation outside and around Atlanta. 

  • 73 percent of voters in the 6th District and 81 percent of voters in the 7th District support addressing the challenge of climate change by shifting to greater use of clean energy, reducing carbon pollution from vehicles and industry, and making homes and buildings more energy efficient.

  • 71 percent of voters in the 6th District and 73 percent of voters in the 7th District support investments in clean energy such as wind and solar power by extending tax credits to spur innovation and manufacturing.

  • 66 percent of voters in the 6th District and 67 percent of voters in the 7th District support investments in electric vehicles and charging stations to reduce pollution and help more Americans buy clean cars.

“Georgia has been hit hard by the climate crisis and the societal devastation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jennette Gayer, Environment Georgia State Director. “The American Jobs Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in what matters and tackle the climate crisis, and this data demonstrates that Georgians support President Biden’s plan to build back better.”

The survey was conducted between April 28 – May 6 by Hart Research Associates for Environment America and Earthjustice, in cooperation with the League of Conservation Voters. A memorandum outlining the full results of the survey can be found here for GA-6 voters and here for GA-7 voters.

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