A new poll by Pew Research found that for people who have heard about the Keystone pipeline, 66% want the government to approve it, with only 23% saying it should not.
Republicans were more likely to have heard about it (77%), with only 57% of Democrats aware of the subject.
It’s not surprising that Republicans were far more likely to support the pipeline, but Democrat and Independent support may be higher than you expected:
Republicans are far more likely than Democrats or independents to have heard about the pipeline. Among those aware of this issue, 84% of Republicans say the government should build the pipeline, while just 9% say they should not. Independents, by greater than two-to-one (66% to 27%) approve of its construction. Democrats who have heard about the pipeline also are supportive — 49% approve of building the pipeline and 33% disapprove.
Keystone XL pipeline is a proposed $7 billion project that would transport Canadian crude oil between Alberta, Canada and Port Arthur, Texas via a 1,700-mile pipeline. Last month, President Obama denied the company’s application to construct the pipeline across our border.
For more information on Keystone, see my blogs and commentaries on the subject.