WASHINGTON, DC—The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, which works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental policies, announced its endorsement of Dan Maffei (NY-24), Ami Bera (CA-7), Tammy Duckworth (IL-8), and Pete Gallego (TX-23), the four Members of Congress who, in the last election cycle, unseated incumbents named to LCV’s Flat Earth Five. In Congress, these Representatives have voted to uphold the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to limit carbon pollution from coal burning power plants, which are responsible for 40 percent of the carbon pollution in this country. 

In 2012, LCV developed the Flat Earth Five, a $3 million program that succeeded in defeating four climate-denying incumbents in the House of Representatives: Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-24), Dan Lungren (CA-7), Joe Walsh (IL-8), and Francisco Canseco (TX-23).  While 97% of climate researchers believe that humans are the primary driver of climate change, these former Members of Congress were climate change deniers, a position that proved dangerously out-of-step with the American people.      

“At the polls in 2012, American voices were heard—denying climate change is unpopular and unrealistic.  So now, in the 2014 election, it’s crucial that the momentum, which began with unseating four climate change deniers, continues. We need to re-elect Congressional allies like Dan Maffei, Ami Bera, Tammy Duckworth, and Pete Gallego if we want to see action against climate change,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski.  “This election cycle, we are proud to again endorse all four successful candidates, each of whom has provided much needed environmental leadership in their districts.”

One climate-denying member of the 2012 Flat Earth Five, Congressman Dan Benishek (MI-1), remains in Congress and is running for re-election this year.  LCV has endorsed his opponent, retired Army Major General Jerry Cannon, who if elected will help restore the place of science on Capitol Hill, much like these four successful candidates of last cycle.  

The success of the 2012 Flat Earth Five program demonstrates that denying the science of climate change is not only irresponsible, it’s also bad politics. Re-electing these climate change allies is vitally important to addressing climate change. 

###

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, and authorized by Ami Bera for Congress, Duckworth for Congress, Friends of Dan Maffei and Friends of Pete Gallego.