Environmental groups are throwing more than $100 million behind an ad campaign to get climate change-focused Democrats elected in the upcoming midterm elections at the federal and state level.
Dubbed the Climate Votes Project, a half-dozen organizations are pooling their resources to “build the political power to secure future climate policy and electoral victories.”
“This year climate groups will expose Republicans in the pockets of Big Oil while lifting up the climate champions that are on the side of the people,” Heather Hargreaves of Climate Power Action and its political action committee said in a statement. “The need for action has never been more urgent, and we will prove that candidates who commit to turbocharging America’s clean energy economy stand the best chance of winning on election day.”
The other groups include the Climate Reality Action Fund, Environmental Defense Fund Action Votes, the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund, Natural Resource Defense Council Action Votes and NextGen PAC.
The campaign will consist of field organizing and an ad campaign designed to motivate and persuade Democratic voters by highlighting “anti-environment candidates, especially those whose campaigns are funded and supported by oil and gas interests and who oppose climate action.”
President Biden’s climate agenda has largely been stalled in Congress at the hands of moderates within his party, most notably Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia.
Mr. Biden announced Monday that he would invoke the Defense Production Act to drive more domestic clean energy production, such as solar panels, building insulation, heat pumps and power grid infrastructure like transformers.
While environmental groups lauded the decision, climate activists have been frustrated that Mr. Biden has not taken a more aggressive approach during his tenure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Measures meant to blunt record-high gasoline prices, such as historic releases from the nation’s oil reserves and waiving emission standards for cheaper fuel, have upset those demanding action on climate, which represent a crucial cohort of his base.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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