Trump-Voting States Lead US Solar Energy Construction

States that voted for Donald Trump in the last presidential election are significantly leading the United States in new solar energy construction, accounting for more than 70% of the growth in the first half of 2026. This trend emerges despite a history of Republican opposition to solar, including actions by the Trump administration to hinder development on federal land and congressional reductions in federal tax credits for the industry. A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) identified that eight of the top ten solar-building states in the country during the first half of 2026 were states that supported Trump in the last presidential election. Tim Pawlenty, CEO of SEIA and former Republican governor of Minnesota, stated that at a macro level, Republican-led and governed states are not only open to but actively embracing solar energy. The overall national solar deployment has seen a substantial increase, with the country adding over 11 gigawatts of solar power in the second quarter of 2026. This represents a 45 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025. States that supported Trump were responsible for nearly three-fourths of this national growth. Specifically, Texas and Florida, the two most populous states that voted for Trump, ranked first and third, respectively, in solar construction. Other consistent leaders in solar development among these states include Indiana, Ohio, and Arizona, which have maintained top-ten rankings since 2024. Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, and Utah have also appeared in the top ten in some, but not all, of those years. According to Pawlenty, these Republican-leaning states are fostering solar development through a general pro-business attitude and the presence of booming, electricity-intensive industries. These states often offer more available land and streamlined permitting processes for energy projects, creating an attractive business environment. This environment has, in turn, attracted significant electricity-consuming industries such as manufacturing and data centers to these "red states," further driving demand for energy infrastructure, including solar power. The report highlights a divergence between political rhetoric and on-the-ground energy investment, indicating that economic and business factors are primary drivers for solar adoption in these regions, rather than climate-related motivations.