Authored by Julianne Geiger via OilPrice.com,

Energy has become a hot-button issue as voters prepare to head to the polls, with Republicans gaining a narrow upperhand. According to a recent Rasmussen poll, 82% of likely U.S. voters see energy policy as an important factor in the upcoming election. With rising fuel costs and the future of domestic energy production hanging in the balance, this topic could prove even more pivotal.

The poll indicates that Republicans hold an edge over Democrats when it comes to trust on energy issues.

The poll surveyed 1,044 likely U.S. voters, conducted on September 26 and September 29-30. The poll asked “In terms of how you will vote in this year’s election, how important is the issue of energy policy?”

82% of the respondents categorized U.S. energy policy as important, including 45% who felt it was very important.

When asked, “Which political party do you trust more to handle energy policy?” the result was not as clear, with 44% trusting the Republic party more, 43% trusting Democrats more, and 12% undecided.

While Democrats have focused on renewable energy and climate action, Republicans have honed in on energy security and affordability, particularly through oil, gas, and fossil fuels.

Voters are feeling the pinch of higher prices at the pump and rising home heating costs, which may explain the trust in the GOP’s approach to energy policy.

The push for continued exploration, investment in fossil fuels, and regulatory rollbacks appears to be resonating—but perhaps not the clear winner that some seem to believe.

The Rasmussen poll had a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points, with a 95% level of confidence.