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|Key Takeaways|
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|The war on solar could be a real liability for the administration, even in pro-Trump areas–if people hear about it. The decision to undercut the clean energy industry, and solar in particular, comes with clear political risks for Trump and for Republicans in Congress who have gone along with his attacks on the country’s fastest-growing energy source. Solar is the single most well-liked energy source nationwide, and the two biggest states that Trump carried in 2024, Texas and Florida, rank second and third in the country in solar power generation. (And right behind them are a host of swing states, including Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, and Georgia.) Recent polling by Conservatives for Clean Energy in Florida sheds further light on the political dynamics of solar in a pro-Trump state that has also invested heavily in solar power. Voters in the state, at a time when around 80% report that their utility bills are rising, say that Florida should emphasize solar power more than any other energy source. There is a clear rift here between Trump’s policies and the voters and geographies that he has counted on for his support, and it comes on an issue that directly impacts their cost of living. It’s therefore imperative for clean energy advocates to raise awareness of the administration’s efforts to block solar power from getting onto the grid at a time when Americans are already struggling to afford their utility bills. Grid modernization is overwhelmingly popular across the political spectrum. Investments in the electricity grid have long ranked as one of the most popular energy policy proposals with voters. Going back to early in Biden’s term, for example, modernization of the electricity grid was as one of the most widely supported components of his “Build Back Better” agenda. Surveying voters across five states that Trump carried in 2024 (AR, MO, MS, OH, and PA), the Conservative Energy Network now finds that large majorities across geographies continue to support investments in the grid. And underlining how bipartisan of a priority it is, their polls find that Republicans in these states are even more likely to support investment in the electricity grid than Democrats. Importantly, most voters also say that they would support new high-voltage power lines being built in their own areas.|
Source: AltruisticMilk_