Biden's climate goals are at stake tonight
While most Americans don't name climate change policy as their top concern for this election, they do care about it, and majorities want to see the government do something to curb greenhouse gas emissions. But Biden's signature climate change law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the strident Republican opposition it's incurred, has spurred a decrease in support for climate-related policies among the broader Republican electorate. That's especially true when it comes to one of the most visible components of the law: electric vehicles.
Pushing Americans away from gas-powered vehicles by encouraging EV production and purchases through tax incentives, while raising fuel-efficiency requirements for auto manufacturers, has been one of the primary policies through which Biden has aimed to meet his pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half. In response, opponents accused the president of trying to control what kinds of cars Americans buy, and Trump has railed against electric cars, boats, their batteries and, um, sharks while on the campaign trail.
That may have had an effect. While EV ownership has risen in recent years, the pace of new purchases has slowed. A Pew Research Center survey from June showed a decline in those who would seriously consider buying an electric vehicle: About 29% in the June survey said they would, down from a high of 42% in 2022. Public opinion among Republicans about EVs has cooled across the board, as has their support for other clean energy policies during Biden's presidency: In 2016, 87% of Republicans supported expanding solar power and 80% supported expanding wind, according to Pew. Those numbers have dropped by more than 20 points, to 64% and 56%, respectively, in this year's survey.
Trump has labeled the Inflation Reduction Act wasteful, has promised to pull back unspent federal money for the programs it's meant to fund, and calls the broader climate policy supported by some Democrats, the Green New Deal, the "green new scam." He's also particularly hammered home his opposition to electric vehicles to curry support in Michigan, a key swing state and national auto manufacturing hub. But whether or not the Republican push against EVs will make a difference in the presidential contest tonight, the drop in support for pro-EV policies could have a big impact on the future of clean energy policy.
How did climate change become a partisan issue?