QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

 

“We have a lot of fights ahead of us, and I’m ready to stand up and keep fighting for all the issues this campaign was all about… I will fight for real action to address our climate crisis and invest in Nevada’s clean energy economy.”

-Nevada Senator-elect Jacky Rosen on how environmental issues were central to her campaign to unseat Dean Heller

 

“Gone are the days where anyone talks about New Mexico not being in first place. We will lead from today and on in renewable clean energy and we will be known as the clean energy state of America.”

-New Mexico Governor-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham lays out her vision for bringing clean energy to New Mexico during her victory speech

 

“That ad ran a lot. And I think if you look at the vote for Janet Mills, it was highest along the coast, and was diminished further inland.”

-Maine energy lobbyist Tony Buxton declaring that climate change — specifically, an ad from Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund — swung the governor’s race for Janet Mills

 

 

LCV IN THE NEWS:

 

Washington Post: The nation just elected a bunch of governors who campaigned on clean energy

New York Times: Climate Change and the Elections: Five Takeaways

USA Today: Back in power, Democrats want answers on administration’s environmental decisions

NBC News: A mixed vote on global warming: Ballot measures lose, but Democrats gain power

Inside Climate News: Clean Energy Is a Winner in Several States as Governors, Legislatures Go Blue

Bloomberg: Fracking Foes Focus on Candidates as Winning Strategy Ahead

E&E News: Dems win House, gain in statehouses, falter in Senate

E&E News: Democrats prepare to fight Trump energy, environment agenda

Essence: 2018 Mid-Term Elections Yield Triumphs, Disappointments For Black Candidates

ThinkProgress: House climate caucus loses its Republican co-founder and almost half its GOP members

Scientific American: States Put Science and Health on Election Day Ballots

 

 

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY:

LCV’s state affiliates are hard at work protecting the environment and fighting climate change in the states. Here’s what people are reading across the country:

 

States Top Leading News (CO): As Attorney General, Phil Weiser will Fight for Colorado’s Way of Life

CALmatters (CA): How Gov-Elect Gavin Newsom could shape California’s future, issue by issue

NBC 10 (MI): AP calls MI Gov for Gretchen Whitmer

Santa Fe Reporter (NM): Young Voters Head to the Polls

 

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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE WINNING ISSUES: On election night, as races across the country were called, it was clear that the environment was a winning issue. While there are still races with uncertain results, LCV Victory Fund and our state affiliates are proud to have helped elect at least 46 new members of Congress from all across the country, as well as nine governors – Colorado Governor-elect Jared Polis, Michigan Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer, Wisconsin Governor-elect Tony Evers, Illinois Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Connecticut Governor-elect Ned Lamont, Maine Governor-elect Janet Mills, California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom, and Nevada Governor-elect Steve Sisolak – who have pledged to move toward 100 percent clean energy!

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HOUSE MAJORITY: Following LCV Victory Fund’s biggest investment in House races ever at $17.5 million, we are proud to have elected a new environmental majority in the House of Representatives! In Congress, this majority will work to protect our clean air, clean water, clean energy, and health, while pursuing climate action.

NOTE FROM OUR VP: Tiernan Sittenfeld, LCV’s senior vice president for government affairs, declared the new Congress as a victory for our environment and democracy: “We congratulate the new pro-environment majority, and we are confident they will stand up for our air, water, lands, wildlife and of course our climate. It’s long past time for the House to do badly needed  oversight and accountability of a dangerous administration bent on rolling back common-sense protections for our environment and our health. Now we need to accelerate our transition to clean energy and act on climate, and we look forward to working with the new Congress to do just that.”

 

DIRTY DOZEN, DEFEATED: While the votes are still being counted in several races, LCV Victory Fund helped secure victories over at least eight candidates in our Senate Dirty Dozen, 10 candidates in our inaugural House Dirty Dozen – which became  a baker’s dozen to account for the most anti-environmental House in our history – and 10 candidates in our Dirty Dozen in the States.

 

GREEN GOVERNORS: A number of pro-environment governors were elected to office in key states across the country on Tuesday. Voters in places like Nevada, Wisconsin, Maine and New Mexico elected new environmental champions who will now be able to pass clean energy legislation and grow our outdoor recreation economy.

GREEN STATES: In addition to governors, many state legislatures turned green and stand ready to commit to aggressively tackling climate change. Many states are now equipped with leaders who will put people before polluters despite the federal government’s climate denialism.

 

GREENWASHERS LOSE: This year, there was a national trend amongst climate deniers and anti-environmental incumbents to change their rhetoric in an effort to greenwash their records. But voters made it clear that they won’t be fooled. Greenwashers lost, including Dean Heller in Nevada, Shawn Moody in Maine, Bill Schuette in Michigan, Scott Taylor in Virginia, Erik Paulsen in Minnesota, Mike Coffman in Colorado, Peter Roskam in Illinois, and many others. Two other chief greenwashers —  Rick Scott and Mimi Walters — are in races that are still too close to call.

 

FLIPPING SEATS MEANS… going green! Look no further than South Carolina’s 1st Congressional district. This coastline district which encompasses Charleston went for Trump by 11 points in 2016 and has been held by Republicans since the 1980’s. However, during the primaries, Katie Arrington endorsed Trump’s plan to lift the ban on offshore drilling – costing her the race and flipping the seat to vocal drilling opponent Joe Cunningham.

 

THE GREEN WAVE’S IMPACT: Elections have real impacts, and voting for pro-environmental candidates is going to bring much needed action to many people. Here are just some of the many highlights:

MAINE: Voters elected pro-clean energy Governor-elect Janet Mills and a pro-environmental state legislative. There’s been about $3 billion worth of investments in clean energy waiting for approvals, and now Maine will be able to finally move forward to bringing clean energy solutions to the state.

NEVADA: Voters passed a ballot measure that will increase clean energy goals and require the state to move to 50 percent clean energy by 2030.

 

TRUMP ON CLIMATE CHANGE: This past Sunday, Trump doubled down on his climate denial by saying that the global temperature will “change back again.” In an interview with Axios on HBO, Trump was presented a copy of the National Climate Assessment – a report compiled by his own administration at agencies like NASA and the EPA – which he’s never read. He still refused to accept the science of climate change.

 

ZINKE PROBE: Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, who is under investigation by the Department of Justice, is losing trust from the White House. Since Zinke has headed the agency, the Inspector General’s Office has initiated at least three different probes reviewing the ethics of the agency, including one about a land deal in Montana supported by a developer Zinke is close with.

FUTURE OF INTERIOR: For now it is unclear who will hold the leadership position in the future. Trump said Zinke was doing “a very good job as secretary,” and stated that he will “look at any reports [from the Department of Justice on findings from their investigation].” But we think it’s past time to #FireZinke.

 

COMING UP:

 

January 3 – New Congress begins