Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Thursday continued to tout strong Republican support for her Green New Deal proposal, despite the survey being conducted in December before the details were released.
Ocasio-Cortez, the self-described Democratic socialist, released a six-page outline of her Green New Deal resolution on Thursday. The framers of the deal call for every building in the United States to be upgraded or replaced for "state-of-the-art energy efficiency." The plan also aims to "overhaul transportation"; its ultimate goal is to replace "every combustion-engine vehicle" in the country, which would include planes and automobiles.
In support of its proposals, the outline touts a December survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. The survey was published on Dec. 14, 2018 and concludes that a "large majority," or 64 percent of Republicans support the Green New Deal.
Prior to asking the survey question, the 966 registered American voters were asked, "How much, if anything, have you heard about a policy being proposed by some members of Congress called the Green New Deal?" 82 percent of the respondents said that they heard "nothing at all" and 17 percent said they heard "a lot" or "a little" about the plan. They were then provided with a vague description of what proponents of the Green New Deal say it could accomplish.
"Some members of Congress are proposing a 'Green New Deal' for the U.S. They say that a Green New Deal will produce jobs and strengthen America’s economy by accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy," the survey read. "The Deal would generate 100% of the nation’s electricity from clean, renewable sources within the next 10 years; upgrade the nation’s energy grid, buildings, and transportation infrastructure; increase energy efficiency; invest in green technology research and development; and provide training for jobs in the new green economy."
The survey did not mention that Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. John Lewis (D., Ga.) championed the plan in question. It asked respondents how much they supported or opposed the proposal based off the brief description provided. Ninety-two percent of Democrats and 64 percent of Republicans voiced their support for the Green New Deal, based on the survey description.
Since the poll was published in December, Ocasio-Cortez and media outlets like the Huffington Post and CBS News have cited the survey to push the narrative that Republicans also support the plan. Ocasio-Cortez said on MSNBC Tuesday night that a "majority of Republican voters" support her plan.