During a CNN town hall last week on "climate change," 2020 Democrat candidates vowed to ban all fracking in the United States. In addition, candidates like Senator Elizabeth Warren vowed to stop additional oil exploration.
But according to new polling, voters are alarmed by the position. Here's what Rasmussen Reports asked in a recent survey:
1* A process known as hydraulic fracturing, sometimes called fracking, is used to drill for oil and natural gas in shale oil reserves. Do you favor or oppose the use of fracking to produce more oil and natural gas in this country?
2* With the development of fracking, the United States has become the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas. But a proposal has been made to end fracking immediately in this country over environmental concerns. Would putting an immediate end to fracking be good or bad for the U.S. economy, or would it have no impact?
And the results:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the use of fracking to produce more oil and natural gas for this country. Thirty-six percent (36%) are opposed. This compares to 46% and 39% respectively last year. A sizable 20% are undecided.
More importantly, fracking bans affect states Democrats need to win and the voters there are paying close attention. From AP:
Several Democratic presidential candidates are running on a promise to ban fracking — and stepping on unstable political ground as they do so.
An all-out prohibition on the controversial natural gas extraction process — backed by Sens. Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — has been well received by the liberal and climate-focused voters closely watching the primary. But the proposal also threatens to antagonize unions and voters in areas that depend on oil and gas for jobs.
That opposition may be fiercest in some of the states Democrats care about most. Banning fracking could have a dramatic impact on the economy in Pennsylvania, a state Democrats consider a must-win in their pursuit of the White House. It could also jeopardize the party’s hold on Colorado, a swing state trending its way, not to mention Democrats’ dreams of winning statewide in Texas, the headquarters of the energy industry and home to 137,000 natural gas wells.
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During the first presidential debates in June, which were held in America's auto capital of Detroit, Democrats vowed to ban cars to combat climate change. Will they vow to ban fracking in Houston during the third round of debates tonight? Count on it.
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