To: Interested Parties

From: Pete Maysmith, LCV SVP of Campaigns

Date: November 22, 2024

Re: Despite major losses, voters across the country delivered key 2024 climate victories

Donald Trump’s victory was clearly not the result we were working toward in 2024. We have no doubts that his presidency will be marred by attacks on our most bedrock environmental protections, undermining of our foundational democratic rights and values, and giveaways to his ultra-wealthy friends and Big Oil donors. His cabinet nominations have already shown he plans to continue his legacy as the most anti-environment president in American history. LCV, alongside countless allies and partners stand ready to fight his agenda and protect the clean energy future Americans again and again say they support. 

It is understandable for attention to be focused on the chaos and implications of the presidential election. But it is crucial to not overlook the number of victories for climate further down the ballot that show concrete progress is still happening today and present major opportunities for continued climate action in the future. At the start of Trump’s first term, 1% of people in the United States lived somewhere that was committed to 100% clean energy. Now over 40% of the country does. That’s entirely due to state action. State leaders have proven they are capable of taking up the mantle for climate action. Below is a breakdown of 2024 statewide, state legislative, and other down ballot victories that show they can keep that progress alive once again. 

Congressional Race Wins

Battleground U.S. Senate seats

LCV Victory Fund made major investments in Senate races in presidential battleground states where pro-environment candidates prevailed despite the headwinds at the top of the ticket. 2024 saw far more ticket splitting between votes for President and Senate candidates. This is a testament to the strength of the campaigns run to support candidates and shows who we have in these elections still matters to voters. This includes Ruben Gallego in Arizona, Jacky Rosen in Nevada, Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, and Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin. Each of these programs included a mixture of field, paid ads and other tactics which clearly had positive impacts in these incredibly close races. 

Battleground U.S. House seats

LCV Victory Fund made significant investments across the most competitive seats nationwide. We ran critical programs in every called House race that ultimately flipped from pro-polluter to pro-environment hands. This work included paid media and field investments to support George Whitesides in flipping CA-27, Dave Min in holding CA-47’s open seat, and propelling Derek Tran to a slim lead (currently uncalled) in CA-45. Additionally, we ran field and paid media programs in NY-04 to support Laura Gillen’s win and NY-22 to boost John Mannion in flipping his Central New York district. We also invested in paid media programs to support Josh Riley’s win in NY-19, Kristen McDonald Rivet’s win to hold MI-08, and Janelle Bynum’s history-making win in OR-05 to become the first Black person to represent the state in Congress.

A full list of all the new pro-environment, pro-democracy members of the House and Senate joining Congress next year can be found in LCV’s New Member Guide. 

Statewide Victories

California Voters Approve Prop 4, Authorizing $10 billion climate bond

California voters passed Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond, which addresses the impacts of climate change. The bond will fund projects in water conservation, wildfire resilience, coastal protection, and renewable energy, with at least 40% allocated to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Mike Young from California Environmental Voters said “Californians have made it clear that they’re eager for the urgent, transformative action needed to address the climate crisis.”

Michigan Supreme Court pro-environment candidates win big 

Despite disappointing 2024 losses in the State House, there were major state-level victories to celebrate in Michigan. Incumbent Justice Krya Harris Bolden held onto her seat while Kimberly Thomas beat state Representative Andrew Fink to join the Michigan Supreme Court. Both received over 60% of the vote and were endorsed by Michigan LCV, Thomas will replace retiring Justice David Viviano, growing the 4-3 pro-environmental majority to 5-2, which will help uphold major environmental legislation.

North Carolina state level environmental champions wins up and down the ballot

North Carolina had a huge year for electing state level environmental leaders. Josh Sein was elected as the next Governor of North Carolina, who the NCLCV called “the greenest Attorney General in our state’s history.” Through its independent expenditure PAC, the Conservation Votes PAC (CVP), they spent nearly $3.3 million supporting Stein in his race. North Carolina voters also elected environmental champions as Attorney General, Lt. Governor, the Supreme Court, and successfully broke the legislature’s anti-environmental supermajority. 

Central Ohio voters approve Issue 47, levy for public transit and infrastructure 

While not entirely statewide, this vote was a case study for voter support for alternative transportation investments when they have the opportunity. The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund celebrated the successful approval of Issue 47 after a major campaign. The LinkUS transit initiative is a major victory for sustainable transportation in Central Ohio. With community support, LinkUS will expand sidewalks, greenways, and Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) services across the region.

Washington voters resoundingly reject Initiative 2117, upholding the state’s carbon market and Governor Inslee’s legacy 

Over 62% of Washington voters rejected Initiative 2117 that would have dismantled the state’s carbon market, established under the 2021 Climate Commitment Act. The carbon market has generated over $2.15 billion for green projects, such as electric vehicle rebates, air quality initiatives, and clean energy infrastructure. This initiative had been nominated by Washington Conservation Action Votes to this year’s LCV Victory Fund Dirty Dozen in the States and was a key focus of their voter outreach programs this year. This stinging rebuke to anti-climate forces was of particular importance in Washington, the state that is in many ways setting the climate policy roadmap for the nation. 

And Washington Voters elected champions across the board for statewide offices: Governor, AG, and Public Lands Commissioner

By wide margins, Washington voters elected pro-environmental leaders for every major statewide position. Attorney General Bob Ferguson was elected as the state’s new governor, following Governor Jay Inslee’s long record as one of the greenest governors in the country. Nick Brown was elected as the state’s new attorney general and the first Black man to hold the position. Finally, Dave Upthegrove will be the state’s new public lands commissioner, defeating Jaime Herrera Beutler, who was nominated to the LCV Victory Fund 2024 Dirty Dozen in the States. All three candidates have made commitments to take on polluters, protect the state’s lands and waters, and were endorsed by Washington Conservation Action.

Key State Legislative Gains

Alaska maintains bipartisan governing majority

Alaskans voted to maintain a bipartisan governing majority in the state senate while adding a new one in the state house. These victories mean that the state’s legislature in the coming two years will be significantly more friendly to pro-environment policies and less prone to partisanship and infighting, especially as compared to many other legislative bodies across the country.

Connecticut protects pro-environmental majorities ahead of key legislative sessions

Over 80% of CTLCV-endorsed candidates won their races (a total of 56), with several key victories in competitive districts and tight races. One Senate seat and five House seats were flipped from anti-environment incumbents to committed environmental advocates. The next two legislative sessions will be critical to build on the state’s clean electricity work and offshore wind development.

Montana voters flip historic number of seats 

Despite the monumental loss of Senator Jon Tester, Montanans didn’t just break the anti-conservation supermajority in the Montana legislature, they flipped 12 seats. This unprecedented success—the highest number of pickups in a single legislative chamber nationwide in 2024—marks a historic shift for the state, unmatched since 1990. Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund led the charge for pro-conservation candidates, moving closer to a pro-environment legislature that reflects the state’s long held values. This victory is a significant boost for conservation efforts heading into the next legislative session. Judge Katherine Bidegaray also won her seat on the Montana Supreme Court helping ensure strong judicial support for Montana’s pro-conservation Constitution.

New Mexico builds on past success 

Despite fierce opposition by industry and outside special interest groups, pro-climate, pro-democracy candidates swept key races across the Land of Enchantment in the 2024 general election. Among contested races, victories included several pro-conservation incumbents, including Sen. Carrie Hamblen (SD 38) and Rep. Nathan Small (HD 36), who had highly competitive races. 

Oregon recaptures a pro-environment supermajority in the State Senate

Entering this year one-seat shy of a supermajority in both chambers, OLCV was able to strategically invest resources to win a pivotal state senate seat and recapture the supermajority in that chamber. As of mid-November, there are still votes to be counted that could yet also deliver a supermajority in the Oregon State House as well.

Pennsylvania held a pro-environment majority in the State House 

Despite major headlines and tens of millions of dollars on the airwaves attacking incumbent champions, pro-environment lawmakers retained control of the state House, maintaining their one-seat majority in the face of strong challenges. The majority will allow Pennsylvania’s state legislature to continue to play a major role in the fight against climate change and protecting the state’s clean air, water, and open spaces. Notable victories included protecting Representatives Brian Munroe in Bucks County, Jim Haddock in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, and Mandy Steele in Allegheny County. Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Victory Fund invested more than $2.2 million in critical state legislative races, with a heavy focus on canvassing that ultimately saw some targeted races won by only 1,000 votes – demonstrating the impact field investments had on the control of power in Harrisburg for the next two years.

Wisconsin post-gerrymander sees major gains

After more than a decade of gerrymandered legislative lines that severely disenfranchised Wisconsinites, this cycle saw democracy return and with it major changes to the legislators elected to office. Wisconsin Conservation Voters IEC invested more than $1.5 million this cycle to break the Republican supermajority in the state picking up 5 seats for pro-environmental candidates, while paving a clear path to achieving a pro-environmental trifecta in 2026. These state senate victories also included the defeat of Duey Stroebel nominated who made this year’s Dirty Dozen in the States list.

Stay tuned for more state progress updates

In the week following Thanksgiving, LCV will release our annual Clean Energy For All report, which highlights all the major clean energy progress that was made in states over the last year. There were some major wins you may have missed so please keep an eye out to see more about where progress is already being made.