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WASHINGTON — Record-high gasoline prices are causing Americans to rethink their opposition to drilling for oil and natural gas in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other federal areas, according to several recent surveys.

A nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center shows half of Americans now support drilling in ANWR, up from 42 percent five months ago.

And a CNN poll released Thursday found 73 percent of Americans favor exploration for oil and gas off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

The public’s changing energy priorities are most evident in the growing percentage that views increased energy exploration — including mining and drilling, as well as the construction of new power plants — as a more important priority for energy policy than increased conservation and regulation.

The Pew poll found 47 percent of Americans consider expanded energy exploration in general more important than energy conservation and price regulation, up from 35 percent in February. The number who believe conservation and price regulation are more important dropped 10 percentage points to 45 percent from the previous Pew survey five months ago.

Support for energy exploration is at its highest level in a decade, as the rising price of a barrel of oil shows no sign of slowing its ascent toward the $150 mark.

The price of crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed above $145 a barrel before the Fourth of July holiday. The average price of regular unleaded gasoline in Alaska was $4.59 a gallon, $1.50 more than a year ago, according to the motorist group AAA.

In Fairbanks, drivers paid as much as $4.62 a gallon last week for regular unleaded gasoline.

The change in attitude is most noticeable among Democrats, independents and young people, who in the past have tended to favor conservation over development.

The Pew poll found 46 percent of Democrats now favor increased energy exploration, a 16 percentage point increase. Some 46 percent of women polled also said they support greater exploration for domestic resources, an 18 percent increase compared to a few months ago.

A full 51 percent of people ages 18 to 29 say expanded exploration is more important than conservation and regulation, compared to only 26 percent in February.

Among those who describe themselves as liberals, 45 percent said they supported more exploration, a 23 percent increase. And half of registered Independents said they approved of expanded development, a 19 percent increase since February.

The Pew poll was conducted June 18-29, with a sample size of 2,004 and a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. The CNN poll of 1,026 likely voters was done from June 26-29 and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Americans are paying more attention to the energy policy debates on Capitol Hill as gasoline prices take an ever bigger bite out of their pocketbooks, raising the hopes of Republicans, including all three members of Alaska’s delegation, that it will result in wider support for legislation to open new federal areas to energy development.

State officials are also optimistic that the Democratic Party-led Congress will eventually change its tune on ANWR. So far, though, Democrats have favored legislation punishing energy companies and promoting energy conservation and efficiency.

“Congress may seem pretty entrenched now, but when their constituents begin to register their anger and frustration about energy policy things could change,” said John Katz, Gov. Sarah Palin’s spokesman in Washington.

ANWR remains a divisive issue.

Of those who favor drilling in ANWR, 75 percent are Republicans compared to 36 percent of Democrats. The Pew survey found support among Republican voters up 12 percentage points since February, compared with only 5 points for Democrats.

Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski, along with Rep. Don Young, continue to press their congressional colleagues to adopt legislation to open ANWR, but the GOP leadership has dropped ANWR from its energy platform in a move to show support for presidential hopeful John McCain, who opposes drilling in the refuge.

“Recent polls show that people are moving toward increased domestic energy production. The change in sentiment is occurring incrementally and it’s unclear when it will register in the congressional process,” Katz said. “But I think in the long term the sentiment will register in Congress and will lead to increased oil and gas production.”

A Los Angeles Times poll of 1,233 likely voters conducted June 19-23 found 57 percent of respondents would support increased domestic drilling if it could be done without significant harm to the environment. Support dropped to just 12 percent if it would result in environmental damage. Only 22 percent of Americans said drilling should not be allowed. The poll had a 3 percent margin of error.

A recent Gallup poll found 57 percent of Americans support opening new areas to drilling.

A Fox News poll of 900 registered voters conducted June 17-18 found that 76 percent of Americans favor increased oil and gas development, including 53 percent who think ANWR should be tapped.

“This is obviously a very challenging year for conservationists,” said Athan Manuel, director of lands protection for the Sierra Club.

Despite the challenges, Manuel believes Democratic leaders in Congress will maintain the moratoriums on exploration off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in ANWR.

The Wilderness Society, the Alaska Wilderness Society and the National Audubon Society released a separate survey last week showing that a majority of Americans still want to see ANWR protected.

The poll found that 55 percent of the American public supports continued protection for the refuge, while only 36 percent favor opening it to drilling.

Some 74 percent of those polled said that investing in new energy technology, renewable fuels, and more efficient automobiles is a better way to address energy prices and our long-term needs than is relying on more drilling.

Only 35 percent of Americans believe that allowing oil companies to drill in ANWR would result in lower gasoline prices, and 53 percent believe drilling in the refuge will have no effect on the price they pay at the pump.

The poll, by the research firm Belden Russonello and Stewart, was conducted June 26-30 with a sample size of 817 and a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

Cuddy campaign picks up steam

Anchorage developer Dave Cuddy is jumping back into the U.S. Senate race with both feet after spending the last few weeks producing a feature film in Texas.

Cuddy, 55, resumed his campaign Thursday evening with a speech at the Eagle River Lions Club Independence Day picnic. He plans to make more frequent public appearances in the run-up to the Aug. 26 Republican primary.

“I look forward to conversations with Alaskans about the root causes of (our) problems, and the long-term solutions (for) issues such as the economy, education, energy, foreign policy and immigration,” Cuddy said.

Cuddy, a conservative who believes in small government, has done little fundraising since announcing his campaign for the Senate seat held by Ted Stevens at the end of May. Cuddy has spent “something over $100,000” of his own money on the campaign so far.

“I’m funding most of it,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday.

The majority of the money has been spent on recent television and radio advertisements. A television spot introducing Cuddy to voters aired for 10 days at the end of June, and a weeklong radio ad began airing Tuesday.

In 1996, Cuddy spent almost $1.5 million, mostly his own, to try to unseat Stevens in the Republican primary. He received 27 percent of the vote.

Campaign financial disclosure filings showing how much money candidates have raised and what they’ve spent it on for the second quarter are due out July 15.

Cuddy, a former state representative who made a small fortune working in his family’s banking business, said the main issues he’s focused on this election are the $10 trillion national debt, the declining value of the dollar and the disintegration of the family.

“The biggest thing I see is that members of Congress all across the country have made such a mess of our economy, our foreign policy, our dollar, our Social Security, and our Medicare,” Cuddy said. “And they are continuing to get voters to focus on pork and special interest to divert attention from the real problems.”

Cuddy said he wants to campaign on national issues that affect Alaskans and not focus too much on the ongoing corruption investigation involving Stevens’ ties to former VECO boss Bill Allen. Still, Cuddy said he’s concerned with the influence congressional earmarks have had on the state.

“Many of us have lost sight of the fact that our Congress is here to protect our liberties, provide for a strong economy, stand behind our Constitution, and provide for our national defense,” Cuddy said. “Its primary duty is not to offer sugar and candy and pork and special favors to individuals and corporations.”

It’s a Jeffersonian view that favors limited government and representation by citizen legislators to avoid the corrupting influence of special interests.

“This is a wonderful country, and we just need to get back on track,” he said. “At some point, it’s just going to take the citizen legislators to stand up and fix it.”

Cuddy faces a crowded Republican primary with Mike Corey, Gerald Heikes, Rick Sikma, Vic Vickers and Rich Wanda, all of whom are vying to knock Stevens from the seat he’s held since 1968, according to the state Division of Elections.

He spent the past few weeks in Austin, Texas, producing a film starring Lee Majors and Joe Estevez.

“I haven’t given up my day job yet,” Cuddy said.

Stevens picks up new endorsements

A scorecard is needed to keep track of all the candidate endorsements popping up these days.

Sen. Ted Stevens picked up three endorsements for his re-election bid during a recent visit to Ketchikan.

The Alaska Forest Association (AFA), representing nearly all groups associated with the state’s timber industry, including timber operators, tug and barge operators, suppliers and road building companies, said it was backing Stevens.

“Sen. Stevens has always supported the Alaska timber industry throughout his career in the Senate,” said AFA President Kirk Dahlstrom in a press release. “His seniority and knowledge make his return to the Senate absolutely critical to the immediate and future success of the Alaska timber industry.”

Ketchikan Gateway Borough Mayor Joe Williams and Saxman Mayor Charles Denny also offered their support for Stevens. Williams and Denny are prohibited from making political endorsements in their official capacity as mayors, but both offered their personal endorsements.

“Being the borough mayor, I can’t publicly support a candidate. However, I am a voting citizen, and as a voting citizen, I am truly 100 percent supporting Sen. Stevens,” Williams told a crowd during Stevens’ visit to Ketchikan on June 20.

Young endorsed by Huckabee committee

The political action committee of former Arkansas governor and former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is endorsing Don Young in his bid to retain his seat in the House of Representatives.

The Huck PAC supports Young’s dedication to increasing domestic energy supplies, improving the nation’s infrastructure and his commitment to a strong national defense and military, according to a press release put out by the committee.

“Don is one of the few members of Congress to totally understand the critical state of our nation’s infrastructure, and when I was a governor and chairman of the National Governors Association, he was one of the few members of Congress who fully recognized the direct link between infrastructure and job creation and economic development,” Huckabee said in a prepared statement.

The endorsement drew criticism from some Huckabee supporters concerned about Young’s entanglement in an ongoing ethics investigation by the Justice Department. Huckabee responded that Young was willing to defend him when he was down and deserved the same.

“Don Young has been a consistent pro-family, pro-life vote in the Congress. Don also endorsed my campaign and stood by me in the public arena defending my record from false attacks when other members of Congress wouldn’t be seen with me,” Huckabee wrote. “I don’t expect everyone to agree with each endorsement we make.”

Young served as the congressional chair of Huckabee’s presidential exploratory committee and hosted fundraisers for him.

“It’s a reflection of the values that make great people great,” said Michael Anderson, Young’s campaign spokesman. “Sometimes we forget how important loyalty and friendship are.”

Young also received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association.

“Young has a perfect pro-gun voting record in Congress and he is a great friend to Alaska hunters and gun owners,” said Chris Cox, chairman of NRA’s political victory fund.

Young co-sponsored legislative efforts by the NRA to overturn D.C.’s gun ban and provide national concealed carry reciprocity. Young also voted to prohibit gun confiscation during states of emergency.

Young serves on the NRA’s board of directors.

And finally ...

Fairbanks native son Jakob Johnsen is spending a portion of his summer break from West Point interning for Sen. Stevens in Washington.

Johnsen, a 2005 West Valley High graduate, arrived here June 21 and will be working in Stevens’ office through July 14.

Johnsen is set to graduate from West Point next year with a degree in political science. After graduation, he’ll enter the Army as a 2nd Lt. in the infantry.