Maine Voters Back Pro-Environment, Pro-Health Senate Candidate

New Poll: 93% Want Reduction in Industrial Carbon Pollution

Environment Maine

Portland, Maine – Likely voters in Maine will overwhelmingly support a candidate for the U.S. Senate in November who favors strong protections against dangerous chemicals and toxic air pollution, including industrial carbon emissions, according to a new poll released today.
 
“This poll shows that residents of Maine will back a candidate who believes in protecting our health and our environment,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, director of the NRDC Action Fund. “In fact, 83 percent of independents and 66 percent of Republicans are much more likely or somewhat more likely to vote for a senator who supports reducing carbon pollution.”
 
The NRDC Action Fund and Environment Maine sponsored the poll of 841 likely Maine voters, conducted March 27-28 by Public Policy Polling, a research firm based in North Carolina.
 
Meanwhile, the poll also found that 54 percent of likely voters have an unfavorable opinion of Maine Gov. Paul LePage.
 
“It’s clear that Gov. LePage is out of step with most Maine voters on the environment,” said Emily Figdor, director of Environment Maine. “From clean water to clean air, Maine people want our political leaders to stand up for our natural heritage and public health.”
 
In the PPP poll, 90 percent said they would be either “much more likely” or “somewhat more likely” to vote for a candidate who supports strengthening protections against the pollution of waterways.
 
“Maine voters want a U.S. Senator who’s going to put environmental concerns at the forefront,” said Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling.  “These results show that candidates hoping to replace Olympia Snowe need to make clean air and water a focal point of their campaigns if they want to be successful.”
 
Another 86 percent said they would be either “very important” or  “somewhat important” to support a candidate who supports a national energy policy that moves America beyond a dependence on foreign oil to one that relies more on fuel efficient cars and renewable sources of energy, such as wind and solar.
 
Click here to find the full poll information.
 
The NRDC Action Fund is committed to rebuilding the environmental majority and  advancing policies that ensure clean energy, climate protection, smart transportation, and public health. The NRDC Action Fund works to accomplish that by marshaling its members and activists and an unparalleled network of politically connected friends and affiliates. www.nrdcactionfund.org
  
Environment Maine is a citizen-based environmental advocacy organization working to preserve Maine’s open spaces, protect clean air and water, and steer the state toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit http://www.environmentmaine.org