Raleigh, N.C. – Texas voters are giving Congressman Joe Barton some heat for his recent comments in a U.S. House committee hearing in which he expressed shame for how BP has been treated by the White House.
Barton personally apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward for what he termed a “shakedown,” when President Obama asked BP to set up a $20 billion escrow fund to compensate oil spill victims. Only 18% of Texans believe BP deserved that apology; 65% think they did not. Independents, at 75%, are the strongest partisan group opposing the apology, greater than the 65% of Democrats who say the same. Even 56% of Republicans join them. Similarly, 64% think Obama was right to have requested that BP establish that fund, to 27% who think he was not. Fully 88% of Texas Democrats agree with Obama’s move, along with 59% of independents. Even 45% of Republicans do, to 41% who do not.
Barton may escape this controversy with his leadership post on the House Energy and Commerce Committee intact, though a decent plurality of Texans, 42%, would rather see him step down. 31% think he should keep his position as the ranking Republican on the committee. 54% of Republicans support Barton on this question, but 67% of Democrats and 45% of independents go against him.
Though he only serves a small portion of the state, and regularly gets re-elected in his strongly Republican district, Barton is now more unpopular than popular statewide. 28% have an unfavorable opinion of him, to 21% who have a favorable one. Democrats and independents are slightly more negative on Barton than Republicans are high on him.
“Joe Barton’s comments didn’t play well even with the Republican base in Texas,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “It’s no wonder that many leading GOP politicians have hurried to repudiate his statement.”
PPP surveyed 500 Texas voters from June 19th to 21st. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.4%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Congressman Joe Barton?
Favorable ………….. 21%
Unfavorable……….. 28%
Not Sure……………. 52%
Q2 Do you think BP deserves an apology for being
asked by the president to compensate the oil
spill victims?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 18%
No …………………………………………………………. 65%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q3 Do you think President Obama was right to
have asked BP to set up a $20 billion fund to
compensate oil spill victims?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 64%
No …………………………………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q4 Do you think Joe Barton, the top Republican on
the House Energy and Commerce Committee,
should keep his leadership post on that
committee, or should he resign from it?
Yes ……………………………………………………….. 31%
No …………………………………………………………. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%
Q5 Who did you vote for President last year?
John McCain…………………………………………… 51%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 40%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 9%
Q6 If you are a liberal, press 1. If a moderate,
press 2. If a conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 13%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 46%
Q7 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q8 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 43%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%
Q9 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 17%
White …………………………………………………….. 66%
African American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
Q10 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 5%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 48%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%
