24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Trump’s re-election has cast uncertainty over the future of clean energy and climate science.
• While Trump has pledged to reverse Biden climate legislation, many Republican counties benefit from renewable tax credits and are worried about climate change.
• Although worry over climate change correlates with Democratic political affiliation, some Republican counties express a high degree of worry about global warming.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

Trump’s sweeping re-election last week has created an environment of uncertainty in the clean energy and climate science space. While Trump has pledged to repeal the landmark climate legislation of his predecessor, many of the most Republican counties have benefited from Biden era tax credits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. Other Republican counties are in floodplains and coastal areas that are high risk for climate disaster, and harbor legitimate worry about global warming.

In their biennial survey, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication asked participants, “How worried are you about global warming?” with options ranging from “very worried” to “not at all worried”. While the most worried counties skew Democrat, there are several dozen Republican strongholds that expressed climate worry disproportionate to their voting behavior.

To determine the Republican counties that are worried about climate change the most, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on climate change belief from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Counties where at least 75% of residents voted for Donald J. Trump in 2020 were ranked based on the percentage of surveyed residents who answered that they are “somewhat” or “very worried” about global warming in 2023. Supplemental data on median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and is for 2022. Data on natural hazard risk rating is from FEMA.

50. Keya Paha County, NE

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 90.0%
• Median household income: $63,977
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Springview

49. Walton County, FL

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.4%
• Median household income: $74,832
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: DeFuniak Springs

48. Bourbon County, KS

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.2%
• Median household income: $55,826
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Fort Scott

47. Elko County, NV

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 76.2%
• Median household income: $87,755
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Elko

46. Kerr County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.3%
• Median household income: $66,713
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Kerrville

45. Texas County, OK

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 81.6%
• Median household income: $55,682
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Guymon

44. Liberty County, MT

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.8%
• Median household income: $48,047
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Chester

43. Taylor County, IA

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.4%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 76.0%
• Median household income: $65,926
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Bedford

42. Cherry County, NE

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.5%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 87.1%
• Median household income: $62,373
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Valentine

41. Burleson County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 78.3%
• Median household income: $71,745
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Caldwell

40. Esmeralda County, NV

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 82.3%
• Median household income: $40,694
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Goldfield

39. Harmon County, OK

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.1%
• Median household income: $55,729
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Hollis

38. Menard County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.8%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.1%
• Median household income: $40,945
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Menard

37. Foard County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 55.8%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.8%
• Median household income: $41,944
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Crowell

36. Johnson County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.0%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.9%
• Median household income: $77,058
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Cleburne

35. Edwards County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.0%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 83.8%
• Median household income: $40,809
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Rocksprings

34. Hamilton County, KS

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.0%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 81.3%
• Median household income: $58,750
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Syracuse

33. Creek County, OK

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 76.4%
• Median household income: $61,657
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Sapulpa

32. Cochran County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.9%
• Median household income: $41,597
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Morton

31. Rabun County, GA

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 78.1%
• Median household income: $57,261
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Clayton

30. Jackson County, OK

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.8%
• Median household income: $60,954
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Altus

29. Yoakum County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 82.6%
• Median household income: $80,317
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Plains

28. Briscoe County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 88.1%
• Median household income: $35,446
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Silverton

27. Terry County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.4%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.9%
• Median household income: $42,694
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Brownfield

26. Lea County, NM

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.5%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 79.0%
• Median household income: $65,855
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Lovington

25. Mason County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.5%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.5%
• Median household income: $77,583
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Mason

24. Gillespie County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.5%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 79.0%
• Median household income: $70,162
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Fredericksburg

23. Parmer County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.8%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.6%
• Median household income: $65,575
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Farwell

22. Floyd County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.8%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.7%
• Median household income: $49,321
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Floydada

21. Nolan County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.9%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.1%
• Median household income: $47,437
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Sweetwater

20. Midland County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 56.9%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.5%
• Median household income: $90,123
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Midland

19. Aransas County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.2%
• Median household income: $58,168
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
• County seat: Rockport

18. Haskell County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 83.1%
• Median household income: $52,786
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Haskell

17. Clark County, ID

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 84.9%
• Median household income: $53,500
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Dubois

16. Hall County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.4%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 85.1%
• Median household income: $43,873
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Memphis

15. Kendall County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.9%
• Median household income: $104,196
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Boerne

14. McMullen County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 89.1%
• Median household income: $60,313
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Tilden

13. Karnes County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 57.9%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 75.6%
• Median household income: $57,798
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Karnes City

12. Sherman County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.1%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 89.3%
• Median household income: $66,169
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Stratford

11. Crockett County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.5%
• Median household income: $64,103
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Ozona

10. Ward County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.4%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 79.8%
• Median household income: $70,771
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Monahans

9. Andrews County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.5%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 84.3%
• Median household income: $86,458
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Andrews

8. Schleicher County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 81.1%
• Median household income: $53,774
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Eldorado

7. Castro County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 58.7%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 76.9%
• Median household income: $59,886
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Dimmitt

6. Dawson County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 59.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.9%
• Median household income: $45,268
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Lamesa

5. Hockley County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 59.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 80.7%
• Median household income: $53,283
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Levelland

4. Bailey County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 60.2%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 77.1%
• Median household income: $69,830
• FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
• County seat: Muleshoe

3. Cottle County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 60.4%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 81.6%
• Median household income: $47,625
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Paducah

2. Reagan County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 60.6%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 83.8%
• Median household income: $70,319
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Big Lake

1. Sutton County, TX

• Residents who are worried about global warming: 61.3%
• Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 78.5%
• Median household income: $56,778
• FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
• County seat: Sonora

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