On Tuesday, John McCain unveiled a proposal laying out an agenda to change the tax code and temporarily suspend federal gas taxes this summer.

A Rasmussen Reports survey taken in mid-March found solid support for the gas tax suspension--60% of the nation’s adults believe the federal tax on gasoline should be suspended until prices come under control. Only 24% opposed the proposal.

Support for suspending the gas tax is especially strong among lower-income Americans—among those who earn less than $40,000 per year, 70% favor the concept. Among those earning more than $75,000 a year, support dips to 49%.

Only 48% of Investors support the proposal, along with 72% of those who do not invest.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of women support the suspension of gas taxes along with 54% of men. From a partisan perspective, 65% of Democrats support the proposal along with 61% of Republicans and 51% of those not affiliated with either major party.

Among married Americans, 57% think the gas tax should be suspended. Meanwhile, 65% of non-married Americans agree.

Looking at the opposite approach, there is strong opposition to raising the gas tax. A January survey asked about support for increasing the federal gas tax from 18 cents a gallon to 40 cents a gallon. Respondents were told that the money would be used for infrastructure repairs and to prevent deadly accidents like the bridge collapse in Minneapolis last year. Even so, just 19% favored a gas tax hike and 65% were opposed.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans opposed the proposal along with 66% of unaffiliateds and 58% of Democrats.

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