WASHINGTON, DC — The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, which works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental policies, announced today its endorsement of Governor Charlie Crist for Congress (FL-13). Crist is committed to protecting the environment, expanding clean energy, and safeguarding Pinellas County’s coastal resources.  

“Charlie Crist has a long record of action on climate change and conservation in Florida, and he will bring this same dedication to Congress,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski. “Throughout his career in public service he has been a leading opponent of drilling off Florida’s coastline because he knows that a healthy environment and strong economy go hand-in-hand. Crist is willing to take on big polluters and has been a vocal advocate for protecting our land and oceans, reducing harmful pollution and expanding our clean energy economy, ensuring we leave our children and grandchildren a clean and healthy planet.”

“Florida’s Gulf Coast is home to some of America’s most pristine natural resources, and Governor Charlie Crist understands how to protect them better than anyone,” said Florida Conservation Voters Executive Director Aliki Moncrief. “As Governor, he held BP accountable for their disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and led an historic Everglades land preservation effort. In Congress, he will continue his work to expand renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.”

“Pinellas County is more than just my home – it’s a treasure that we must protect for future generations as well,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “It’s why I proposed a constitutional amendment banning oil drilling off Florida’s coasts. It’s why as Governor, I convened Florida’s first national climate change summit. And it’s why in Congress, I’ll work to ensure climate change is finally treated as the economic and national security threat that it is.”

Crist served as Florida’s Governor from 2007 to 2011, during which time he led an expansive environmental agenda. As Governor, he led the state purchase of 70,000 acres of land to restore the Everglades and reduce nutrient pollution, fought to ensure BP compensated Florida coastal communities in the wake of their 2010 oil spill, created a solar energy rebate program, called for greater energy usage from solar, wind, biofuel, and other alternatives, and convened Florida’s first climate change summit in 2007.

In contrast, Congressman David Jolly has earned an 8 percent lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard including a 6 percent score for 2015.The non-partisan Scorecard is a nationally accepted yardstick used to rate members of Congress on environmental and clean energy issues. Based on key environmental votes in the House and Senate, it is often used by the media to quickly describe a Member’s record. For more information, visit https://scorecard.lcv.org. 

Crist is featured on LCV Action Fund’s GiveGreen website, the only bundling website devoted exclusively to raising money for environmental champions for federal office. 

About LCV Action Fund

The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund (LCVAF), the connected federal political action committee (PAC) of the League of Conservation Voters, works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental laws and policies, and defeat those who stand in the way of progress. Since the 1994 election cycle, LCVAF has helped elect and re-elect 69 U.S. Senators and 306 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  In the 2013-2014 election cycle, LCVAF endorsed over 70 candidates and raised and donated almost $6 million dollars via GiveGreen. Over the last several years, our efforts have also helped elevate climate change and clean energy as critical issues in key elections. 

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Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and authorized by Charlie Crist for Congress.