As John McCain ratchets up the debate in favor of offshore drilling to help offset high gas prices, 62% of Americans agree such drilling should be allowed. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 27% take Barack Obama’s position against it.

These numbers are slightly different from an earlier poll released Monday. The new survey, taken Wednesday night after nearly three days of political sparring over the issue, highlighted the fact the McCain favors offshore drilling while Obama is opposed. Survey respondents were also told that McCain believes the drilling would lead to lower oil and gas prices but Obama says it would not.

Knowing the positions of both McCain and Obama, 55%) think prices at the pump are likely to drop if such drilling is allowed. An even higher percentage of voters in Florida (61%) – one of the front-linestates in the offshore drilling debate --agree with McCain that such drilling is likely to reduce gas prices. Support for John McCain among Florida voters increased when those taking the survey were informed of his position on offshore drilling.

In the new national survey, 38% now agree with Obama and believe the price of gas – now over $4 for a gallon of regular nationwide -- is not likely to be impacted by allowing offshore drilling.

Republicans overwhelmingly agree with their candidate’s contention that the ban on offshore drilling in place since 1981 should be lifted while Democrats are divided. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of GOP voters say such drilling should be allowed, as do 41% of Democrats. Only 43% of Democrats agree with Obama that the ban should continue.

When voters are broken down by their self-designated ideologies, the pattern is similar: 84% of conservatives think offshore drilling should be allowed, but only 31% of liberals agree. Perhaps key to the presidential election, 54% of moderates also favor lifting the ban.

Nearly seven out of 10 male voters (69%) are in favor of allowing offshore drilling, with 24% opposed. A majority of women (55%) also support such a move, and 29% are against it. But more than twice as many women than men – 16% to 7% -- are undecided about the contentious environmental issue.

McCain acknowledges that offshore drilling should only be a part of a larger energy plan, including the building of more nuclear plants, to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil. Obama opposes such drilling completely, dismissing it as a short-term solution and calling instead for a massive federal effort to develop alternative energy sources.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters agree with Obama’s proposal for spending $150 billion to develop renewable green energy resources, and only 23% are opposed. One out of five voters (21%) are not sure. While 62% of Democrats and 60% of unaffiliated voters support the idea, nearly half of Republicans (45%) do, too.

But half of U.S. voters (51%) also agree with McCain on the need for more nuclear plants. Thirty-three percent (33%) are opposed, with 17% undecided. The GOP candidate has called for building 45 new nuclear plants by 2030 with an ultimate goal of 100 such facilities. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republicans agree, as do 38% of Democrats and 49% of moderates.

Another survey released earlier this week found that 47% of voters believe private companies are more likely to find the solutions than government research programs. Thirty percent (30%) believe government programs are more likely to yield the desired results.

Reducing the price of gas and oil is more important than protecting the environment to 47% of voters, while 39% disagree. Republicans overwhelmingly (69% vs.16%) favor a focus on reducing gas prices. Fifty-six percent of Democrats say the environment comes first, although 36% disagree. Unaffiliated voters give prices the edge over the environment – 44% to 39%.

A recent survey found that few voters believe there will have to be a trade-off between energy and environmental needs--78% of adults believe that it’s possible to develop major sources of energy that are environmentally-friendly.

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