Floridians back domestic energy, API finds

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Voters in the Florida, the latest state to have a Republican presidential primary, largely favor more domestic oil and gas production, the API said.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney beat former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the latest showdown for the Republican presidential nomination.

Jack Gerard, president and chief executive officer at the American Petroleum Institute, said recent polling indicates most Florida voters view domestic oil and natural gas production as something good for a weak U.S. economy.

"Our economy will demand large amounts of oil and natural gas for at least several more decades even as the role of alternative energy increases," he said. "Common sense says we should have Americans producing that oil and gas here at home as much as possible."

Trade group API and its supporters say the Obama administration is placing roadblocks to domestic energy production. The U.S. Energy Department said that, in general, the country was producing more oil and natural gas, however.

The API survey of 600 likely Florida voters found that the vast majority favored more domestic oil and gas production.

The poll was conducted for API by Public Opinion Strategies and Frederick Polls by telephone in mid-January. The sampling error was listed at 4 percentage points.