A new poll revealed that public lands are important to voters across the political spectrum in California’s 23rd Congressional District, which spans most of San Bernardino County from the High Desert and Lake Arrowhead to the Nevada and Arizona borders.
The poll, released on Aug. 4, surveyed 400 registered voters and was conducted by North Star Opinion Research, a national public opinion research firm that conducts surveys and focus groups for associations, non-profits, corporations, and Republican candidates for office at all levels.
Public lands were polled as an important issue both in voters’ personal lives and when thinking about their member of Congress. The survey showed that protecting public lands is an important issue for voters of all party persuasions.
According to a press release by Power in Nature Coalition, those polled reported regularly visiting these places and being concerned about their maintenance and accessibility.
“Supporting policies that protect public lands, and opposing policies that harm them, unites Californians across the political spectrum,” said Dan Judy, vice president of North Star Opinion Research. “Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike all visit public lands. This survey confirmed that public lands are one of the rare issues bringing Americans together. Public lands are broadly popular: 89% of voters are more favorable to a member of Congress who supports funding to take care of these places.”
Key findings of the poll
“Our public lands bring us all together,” said Krystian Lahage, public policy officer with Mojave Desert Land Trust. “I hear all the time from local residents about the incredible experiences they have had in these places. It’s no wonder that protecting our public lands is so broadly popular.”
California’s 23rd District
CA-23 contains some of the most popular public lands in California, including Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks, the Mojave National Preserve, Sand to Snow, Mojave Trails and Castle Mountains National Monuments, Johnson Valley and Dumont Dunes, sections of the Pacific Crest and Mojave Trail, and part of the San Bernardino National Forest.
“Bottom line, protected public lands are good for our economy and our way of life in the High Desert region,” said Iris Ivette Muñoz, president of the High Desert Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Places like Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve attract visitors who shop in local businesses. Keeping this economic engine strong is important to all of us.”
McKenna Mobley is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com or on Instagram @mckenna_dailypress.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: New survey finds public lands a top priority for High Desert voters
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
