Press Releases

LCV Victory Fund Fills Final 3 House Dirty Dozen Slots

Oct 19, 2018

Alyssa Roberts, 202-454-4573, aroberts@lcv.org

Washington, D.C. — LCV Victory Fund announced today that it will complete its unprecedented and one-time House Dirty Dozen by naming Mimi Walters (CA-45), Yvette Herrell (NM-02) and Lena Epstein (MI-11) to the infamous list of the country’s worst anti-environmental House candidates. Creating this year’s special House Dirty Dozen came in response to one of the most anti-environmental Congresses in our nearly 50-year history.

“Mimi Walters, Yvette Herrell and Lena Epstein are fitting final members of this year’s unprecedented House Dirty Dozen,” said Pete Maysmith, LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President for Campaigns. “They may be running in different states, but these three candidates all have demonstrated a similar hostility to environmental protections and an aversion to holding corporate polluters accountable.”

More information on the final additions to the 2018 House Dirty Dozen:

California 45 — Rep. Mimi Walters

Rep. Mimi Walters has earned a dismal 4 percent LCV lifetime score by voting for nearly all of the anti-environmental bills brought to the House floor. She is clearly out of step with her constituents and her state which has suffered from disastrous droughts and wildfires fueled by climate change. Beyond her consistent anti-environmental votes, Walters co-signed a letter to Secretary Ryan Zinke expressing support and enthusiasm towards the Department of Interior’s offshore drilling program. Contrary to her membership in the Climate Solutions Caucus, Walters actually co-sponsored a bill that would have prohibited the EPA from regulating an array of greenhouse gases — such as methane and carbon dioxide — as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Adding insult to injury, Walters has attempted to hide her anti-environmental record, going so far as signing onto a letter to California Governor Jerry Brown in August — while wildfires were raging close to her district — stating they were due in part to climate change and calling for action, despite repeatedly voting against climate action just earlier this summer.

 

New Mexico 02 — Yvette Herrell

Running for Rep. Steve Pearce’s open seat as he runs for Governor (where Pearce has earned himself a spot of the Dirty Dozen in the States list), Yvette Herrell brings many of the same concerning environmental positions. As a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, Herrell voted for every anti-environment measure in 2018 and has earned a Conservation Voters New Mexico lifetime score of 14 percent — which sunk to zero this past session. Herrell voted against various pro-environment priority bills in the House, including a bill that would have made solar tax credits permanent and increased the credit for low-income households. Additionally, Herrell voted against a bill that would have allowed low-income utility customers to purchase portions of community solar installations, effectively making it easier to adopt solar energy. Herrell has also shown leniency towards the oil and gas industry, the third largest contributor to her campaign. During her time in public office, Herrell voted to invalidate any local ordinances relating to oil and gas meant to protect water and public health. Perhaps most obtrusive, Herrell proposed an extreme attack on New Mexico’s public lands that could result in national parks being sold off to private developers.

 

Michigan 11 — Lena Epstein

The former chair of the Trump campaign in Michigan, Lena Epstein has shown unwavering support for Trump and his toxic agenda, going so far as to say “I will be behind President Trump 100 percent.” Like the pro-polluter president, Epstein has dismissed the scientific consensus of man-made climate change. In a Republican primary debate when asked about climate change, Epstein responded with flatout climate denial, declaring “I do not believe in man-made global warming.” She would refuse to stand up for Michigan’s clean water and public health.

 

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Paid for by LCV Victory Fund, www.lcvvictoryfund.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.