To: Interested Parties
From: Courtnee Connon, Communications Coordinator, LCV Action Fund
Date: October 13, 2020
Re: LCV Action Fund 2019-2020 Election Cycle Updates

The election is here — voters are mailing in ballots, voting early, and making plans to vote on Election Day — and the fight to elect and keep environmental champions in office is in full swing. In this time of great uncertainty, one thing is clear: climate is top of mind for voters heading to the polls, including young voters and voters of color, and particularly Latinx voters and women. According to recent polling, climate has taken over as the top issue for Democratic likely voters. Another poll shows battleground voters reject President Donald Trump’s science denial and think addressing climate change should be a top priority for the next president, and a majority of voters in those key states support the Biden clean energy investment plan. LCV Action Fund is all-in to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, flip the U.S. Senate and expand the pro-environment U.S. House majority.

Here is a look at LCV Action Fund’s endorsements this election cycle as well as noteworthy environmental ads and moments on the campaign trail:

LCV Action Fund Endorsements

LCV Action Fund has publicly endorsed in 163 federal races so far, including President, 24 for U.S. Senate, and 138 for U.S. House of Representatives. Of the candidates we’ve endorsed to date, 40% identify as candidates of color and 52% identify as women — making this year’s endorsements the most diverse ever and more reflective of our country. You can find all of LCV Action Fund’s publicly endorsed candidates for the 2019-2020 cycle here.

Climate change and related environmental issues have been a focus for the Biden-Harris campaign and for many of the House and Senate candidates this election cycle. Here are a few highlights:

U.S. President

Joe Biden released an ad in Michigan called “Cherries,” marking the first time that a presidential nominee released an ad dedicated solely to the climate crisis. At least five other ads released by the Biden campaign mention climate and clean energy (watch: “Fresh Start,” “Made in America,” “Bones,” “Heal America,” and “Imagine”). This comes as no surprise considering Joe Biden named climate change one of the top four crises facing our nation during the 2020 Democratic National Convention, where climate change and environmental justice was elevated as a major topic for the first time. If elected, the Biden-Harris Administration would implement the strongest climate plan ever from the White House.

U.S. Senate

Alaska: Al Gross released an ad, “Corner”, which criticizes Sen. Dan Sullivan’s support of Pebble Mine.

Arizona: Mark Kelly has addressed climate change consistently throughout his campaign, including in his first national interview on The View; even before he was a candidate he was raising the alarm in this 2017 CNN op-ed. Additionally, his campaign launched this environment and climate change focused video over Twitter last month.

Colorado: John Hickenlooper announced his climate plan in October of 2019. He released a conservation plan in February and his Equity for All agenda in May of this year. Hickenlooper has campaigned on climate and public lands, including multiple public lands events and an op-ed. His campaign has released statements around climate and public lands, such as this digital ad (“Bookstacks”) on Gardner and big oil, a climate plan ad (“Power”), a climate record ad (“Heart”), an ad on the CORE Act and an ad, “WHICH GUY”, on Gardner rolling back environmental protections.  Finally, his campaign released several statements, including a statement on Gardner’s fake enviro ad; statements on Gardner not supporting the CORE Act; statement on Pendley;  and statements on methane rule rollback. He recently released a video op-ed on NowThis discussing the climate crisis in Colorado. John Hickenlooper has earned many climate leader endorsements.

Iowa: Theresa Greenfield released a radio ad highlighting Ernst’s support of EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler. Additionally, Greenfield publicly called for the resignation of Wheeler.

Massachusetts: Climate played a major role in Senator Ed Markey’s primary win. GiveGreen donors contributed over $235,000 for Sen. Markey, and LCV mobilized our members to volunteer with his campaign.

Maine: Sara Gideon announced her climate plan at a solar facility.

Michigan: Gary Peters released this ad, “Resources,” on the Great Lakes and this ad about his work on PFAS contamination. He also spoke about democracy, voting, and climate and the environment in videos on NowThis.

Minnesota: Tina Smith released this ad, ”Working Together,” which talks about her bipartisan work creating internships in the clean energy sector. 

Montana: Steve Bullock ran three ads on the environment including one, “This Time,” featuring his children talking about hiking, public lands, hunting, and fishing (also watch: “Home” and “Longtime”). He celebrated National Public Lands Day with a virtual discussion joined by Senator Jon Tester, Lt. Gov Mike Cooney, and Kathleen Williams. Additionally, in his role as Governor, he led a successful lawsuit to remove William Perry Pendley as BLM Director.

New Mexico: Ben Ray Luján released an ad, “Voices,” about protecting clean water. 

Texas: MJ Hegar held a virtual town hall on the environment and climate featuring LCV’s Sara Chieffo in September.

U.S. House

Arizona-06: Hiral Tipirneni held a Town Hall with LCV’s Tiernan Sittenfeld in July.

California-24: Rep. Salud Carbajal is running a biographical ad, “Strawberry Fields to Congress,” that mentions his support for public lands protections. 

California-25: Christy Smith put out an ad last year linking the wildfires in California and climate change.

Colorado-03: Diane Mitsch Bush has made the environment and public lands a central part of her campaign message.

Colorado-06: Rep. Jason Crow’s ad, “Deliver,” recites his environmental record, including combating climate change.

Florida-16: Margaret Good has made it clear climate change is one of her top priorities since the beginning of her campaign and has had multiple events focused on climate.

Illinois-06: Rep. Sean Casten is running an ad, “Molecular,” that shows his private-sector record on the environment and climate change and an ad, “Grade,” that calls out his opponent for opposing efforts to combat climate change. 

Minnesota-01: Dan Feehan hosted a virtual conversation on climate and environment with LCV’s Sara Chieffo in June.

Montana-AL: Kathleen Williams has an ad, “Way of Life,”  mentioning her commitment to protecting the environment, and another, “Fit,” with the DCCC attacking her opponent’s failure to protect public lands. She also released a statement of support for the Great American Outdoors Act, and another highlighting Rosendale’s poor public lands record. 

New Hampshire-01 and New Hampshire-02: Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas held a virtual discussion on the importance of a clean energy economy with LCV’s Rob Werner in June. Additionally, Rep. Pappas has an ad, “Weather the Storm,” which notes his support for clean water.

New Mexico-02: Rep. Xochitl Torres Small is running an ad, “Public Lands” in English and Spanish that notes her support for the Great American Outdoors Act. She is also running an ad which features her hunting and expresses the importance of protecting public lands.

South Carolina-01: Joe Cunningham has continued to make environmental issues a centerpiece of his campaign, especially his leadership on offshore drilling and the Land & Water Conservation Fund, drawing a contrast with his Republican opponent.

Washington-10: Beth Doglio held a press conference in September to respond to the ongoing wildfires and share her plans to combat the climate crisis. Climate is emerging as a contrasting issue in the election.

About LCV Action Fund

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, the connected federal political action committee (PAC) of the League of Conservation Voters, works to elect leaders who stand up for a clean, healthy environment and to defeat anti-environment candidates who oppose climate action. Since the 1990 election cycle, LCVAF has helped elect and re-elect 90 U.S. Senators and 450 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. 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, www.lcvactionfund.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee