Sixty percent (60%) of American voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that gas prices will reach $5 a gallon this year. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 35% are even more pessimistic and believe $6 a gallon gas may come in 2008.

As for the optimists, 31% believe that the price of gas may dip below $4 a gallon this year and 11% say it may even get below the $3 a gallon mark.

By a two-to-one margin, voters reject the notion that it’s possible to reduce the price of gas and oil simply by reducing consumption. Voters are evenly divided as to whether or not prices of gas and oil can be brought down just by finding new sources. By a 47% to 39% margin, voters say that the best approach to energy policy is to focus primarily on finding more sources of energy. Sixty-six percent (66%) of Republicans say finding more energy is the key while 52% of Democrats say the primary focus should be on reducing the amount of energy we consume.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that we will run out of oil in the next twenty years. Forty percent (40%) of Democrats hold that view. Among all voters, 9% say it is Very Likely that the oil supply will disappear within the next two decades.

Given a choice of six options, 30% say that offshore drilling is the best long-term solution for the nation’s energy problems. Nineteen percent (19%) say learning to consume less energy is the best long-term answer. Solar power and nuclear power are named as the best long-term solution by 13%, hybrid cars are seen as the best hope by 9% while wind power is the choice for 7%.

Thirty-two percent (32%) say offshore drilling is the best answer while 29% say learning to live with less energy consumption is the short-term answer.

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