LCV is fighting every day to create a brighter, safer, healthier future for people and the planet.
LCV is fighting every day to create a brighter, safer, healthier future for people and the planet.
Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. This week, the fight to lower energy costs continues, with new proposals to lower utility bills and polling showing how climate priorities connect with voters’ concerns about affordability and pollution. We’re also tracking the latest endorsements and ad campaigns ahead of the midterms.
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“It’s hard to care about the quality of your air, or the food that you eat and whether or not that food is actually clean, when you can’t even afford the food in the first place.”
– Elijah Lee, first-time voter in Virginia, on the intersectionality of climate change and the cost of living.
“When a community isn’t represented in our democracy, decisions are made that don’t benefit them. Whether it’s on the environmental side, with frontline communities facing more pollution, or the medical side, with a lack of medical investment in those communities, the issue compounds.”
– Justin Kwasa, LCV Democracy Program Director, discussing the importance of equitable civic participation on Healthy Climate America.
“People are under a lot of stress right now and they are trying to make it every day. It’s important that we make the case to voters why reform around how data centers are built out can help give them some relief, and also answer concerns that we know they have surrounding water and air.”
– Sara Schreiber, LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns, on 535 News explaining the need to address voters’ concerns about the impact of data center development on utility bills, clean air, and clean water.
“Any proposed merger involving Virginia’s primary state-regulated utility must benefit families, small businesses, and Virginia’s workforce — not just the shareholders of these multibillion-dollar corporations.”
— Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, calling for a six-year residential electricity rate freeze, larger customer bill credits, and other ratepayer protections as conditions for approval of NextEra’s proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy.
NYLCV EDUCATION FUND HOSTS REGIONAL SUMMIT ON SOLAR ENERGY, BATTERY STORAGE: The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and partners hosted a regional summit bringing together policymakers, fire safety professionals, labor representatives, environmental justice advocates, and industry experts to discuss expanding solar and battery energy storage across New York. The summit focused on the role these technologies can play in lowering energy costs, improving grid reliability and public health, creating good-paying jobs, and supporting the state’s clean energy transition, while addressing community concerns around siting and safety.
NYLCV TAKE: NYLCV President Julie Tighe said, “Lower prices, cleaner air, and light that turns on when you need it — that’s what solar energy and battery storage promise. New York needs to build more and build faster to capitalize on these projects’ potential. This expert discussion helps us understand how to do that while supporting working New Yorkers and making sure community health and safety are always the top priority.”
MARYLAND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES: Chispa Maryland joined parents and students at the Prince George’s County Board of Education to advocate for cleaner, healthier transportation for students. Community members provided testimony urging the Board to approve seven recommendations aimed at advancing the transition to electric school buses. Their advocacy highlighted the importance of reducing air pollution, protecting students’ health, and creating a healthier future for Prince George’s County communities.
REP. LANDSMAN INTRODUCES BILL TO MAKE EVS MORE AFFORDABLE: Rep. Greg Landsman (OH-01) introduced the 21st Century Vehicle Choice Act to make clean vehicles more affordable by increasing clean-vehicle incentives, gaining a better understanding of where high-mileage drivers drive, and studying vehicle choice and supply chains. The bill would double tax credits for new and used EVs for low to moderate income households, increase credits for EV charging stations, and make all incentives permanent.
OUR TAKE: LCV Government Affairs Advocate for Climate & Clean Energy Darien Davis said, “We applaud Congressman Landsman for fighting to expand access to vehicles that are cheaper for drivers to fuel and maintain. With the average gas price above $4 per gallon and as Big Polluters continue to profit thanks to Trump’s corrupt agenda, drivers should have the freedom to drive cars that rely on less gasoline. The 21st Century Vehicle Choice Act will help to make zero-emission vehicles a real option for families who are seeking to reduce their household transportation expenses.”
NEW POLL: WHEN TIED TO AFFORDABILITY AND POLLUTION, BLACK AND LATINO BATTLEGROUND VOTERS RATE CLIMATE A HIGH PRIORITY: New polling from Climate Power and LCV finds that Black and Latino voters in battleground states view climate and clean energy as high priorities when connected to everyday concerns like affordability, pollution, and public health. The polling found particularly strong concern about rising utility bills and support for expanding clean energy to lower costs. Voters also expressed concern about pollution from fossil fuels and data centers. The findings underscore the importance of making the connection between climate issues and the kitchen-table issues voters are concerned about ahead of the midterms.
OUR TAKE: LCV National Field Director Bill Hairston said, “People across the country are increasingly seeing the costs of rapidly rising energy prices, toxic pollution, and extreme weather fueled by the climate crisis, and Black and Latino voters know the impacts of environmental injustice on their communities. These issues are deeply interconnected and top of mind for voters, especially voters of color who have been historically excluded. Voters have made it clear they want leaders who will protect their health, fight for clean air and water, build more clean energy to lower energy costs, and call out Trump and Republicans for causing energy costs to skyrocket.”
REP. MRVAN INTRODUCES UTILITY AFFORDABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT: Rep. Frank Mrvan (IN-01) introduced the Utility Affordability and Transparency Act to protect consumers from higher energy costs associated with keeping outdated and expensive fossil fuel power plants online. The bill would prevent the Department of Energy from using emergency orders to delay planned power plant retirements or reopen permanently closed facilities, while requiring greater transparency around the costs of federal emergency orders and cheaper alternatives. Utilities would also be required to tell customers on their monthly bills when additional costs result from a federal emergency order.
ICV TAKE: Indiana Conservation Voters said, “Thank you, Rep. Frank Mrvan, for introducing the Utility Affordability and Transparency Act. Hoosiers shouldn’t have to carry the burden of skyrocketing energy bills just to keep aging, costly plants on federal life support.”
LCV VICTORY FUND MAKES LARGEST EVER INVESTMENT IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS: LCV Victory Fund and affiliated entities will spend a cumulative $110 million in key House, Senate, and state races this cycle. The investment is the largest total spent by an outside issue group in support of Democratic candidates, and surpasses the $100 million the group invested in 2022. It is also LCV Victory Fund’s largest ever investment in a midterm election cycle.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “This is an energy election. We identified early on that Republicans were vulnerable when it came to energy costs. Voters are not simply frustrated, they’re angry at monopoly utility companies, Big Tech, and Big Oil, who are making record profits while families struggle. Americans deserve leaders who will stand up for them instead of cozying up to corporate executives and giving them handouts. More so than any other outside group, LCV Victory Fund is reaching these voters and mobilizing them in support of Democrats.”
LCVVF RELEASES NEW MEMO DETAILING RECENT CAMPAIGN EFFORTS: With less than two weeks until Election Day, LCV Victory Fund is spending more than any other single issue organization this cycle to help ensure that Democrats regain control of the House and Senate. This week, LCVVF is sharing ads that dropped on the airwaves and stories from the field. Read the full roundup of our recent ad spending and field efforts.
LCV ACTION FUND ANNOUNCES NEW SLATE OF ENDORSEMENTS FOR U.S. SENATE: LCV Action Fund announced endorsements of Angie Nixon (FL), Scott Colom (MS), and Annie Andrews (SC) for U.S. Senate.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “People cannot afford to keep paying for Big Polluters and Trump’s friends to profit while the costs of energy, food, and everyday living continue to skyrocket. Our communities deserve leaders who will fight for our rights, our health, and a clean energy future. Big Polluters is expected to double their profits this quarter compared to last year thanks to Trump and his MAGA Republican allies’ corrupt agenda. The urgency to elect leaders who will lower costs and keep our communities safe has never been greater and LCV Action Fund is all in to support these strong candidates.”
LCV ACTION FUND ANNOUNCES NEW ENDORSEMENTS FOR U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: LCV Action Fund announced endorsements for Luke Bronin (CT-01), Eliott Rodriguez (FL-27), Dan Koh (MA-06), Jeremy Moss (MI-11), Mitchell Berman (WI-01), and Fred Clark (WI-07).
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “Voters across the country are fed up with higher costs caused by Trump’s reckless policies, and they want real solutions to address skyrocketing energy bills and rising costs instead of his broken promises. People are stuck paying the price for Trump’s failed energy policies while Big Polluters and billionaires make huge profits. LCV Action Fund is excited to support these candidates who will stand up to Big Polluters and protect the health of our communities, clean air and water, and free and fair elections.”
NEW $2.3 MILLION LCV VICTORY FUND AD PROGRAM TAKES AIM AT RISING HOME INSURANCE COSTS: LCV Victory Fund launched a $2.3 million ad program in Florida’s 14th and 22nd congressional districts focused on rising home insurance costs driven by extreme weather. The digital and TV ads support Rep. Kathy Castor and oppose Casey Askar, while highlighting how Florida home insurance premiums have increased between 2021 and 2025. The campaign connects the growing costs of extreme weather and climate change to an affordability issue increasingly affecting voters in Florida and across the country.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “The cost of extreme weather is all too real for Floridians, and skyrocketing home insurance rates means that they can’t afford candidates who won’t provide solutions. That’s why they deserve leaders like Kathy Castor and Pia Dandiya who will work to lower home insurance costs, provide real support after an extreme weather event, and reduce carbon pollution. We expect this to only become a more potent political issue in more places around the country unless more action is taken.”
LCV VICTORY FUND LAUNCHES OVER $5 MILLION IN NEW AD PROGRAMMING: LCV Victory Fund launched more than $5 million in new advertising across competitive House and Senate races. The new round of ads focuses on energy affordability and Republican incumbents’ records on energy and environmental issues, highlighting rising utility costs and contrasting candidates’ approaches to clean energy, pollution, and corporate accountability.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “In these final two weeks, we are connecting with voters on the issues they care about most– rising costs, including utility costs, and corruption. Voters are tired of elected officials who are prioritizing the corporations benefitting from skyrocketing costs, while they struggle to make ends meet. They are frustrated with Big Tech and Big Oil making record profits. Voters deserve better, they deserve leaders who will prioritize people over profit.”
LCV VICTORY FUND LAUNCHES ADDITIONAL $2.7 MILLION HOUSE AD CAMPAIGNS: LCV Victory Fund spent an additional combined $2.7 million this week in broadcast and digital ad programming, including a $1.6 million campaign targeting Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Anthony Constantino (NY-21), and John McGuire (VA-05), and a $1.1 million campaign targeting David Valadao (CA-22), Tom Barrett (MI-07), Mike Bouchard (MI-10), and David Flippo (NV-02). The ads call out these candidates on their ties to corporate interests and support for policies that have increased costs for our communities, including data center tax breaks and the war in Iran.
LCVVF TAKE: On the $1.6 million campaign, LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “We know voters are sick and tired of corruption and politicians looking out for Big Oil and Big Tech instead of their own constituents. As voters prepare to head to the polls, we are meeting them on the screens they watch most to make sure they know who is responsible for their astronomical costs, including energy costs.”
LCVVF TAKE 2: On the $1.1 million campaign, LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “Voters know that corporate interests are driving up their costs. They are tired of leaders who are repeatedly voting to raise their costs, so Big Tech and Big Pharma can rake in record profits. Voters deserve leaders that will protect them from absurd rate hikes, work to lower costs and work for them instead of their donors.”
LCV VICTORY FUND LAUNCHES $2.5 MILLION AD IN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: LCV Victory Fund launched $2.5 million on a new ad program contrasting Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race. The ad calls out Rogers’ connection to Big Pharma and his votes to keep prescription drug costs high, while emphasizing El-Sayed’s commitment to rejecting corporate PAC money and lowering healthcare costs for Michiganders.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “It is clear that Mike Rogers is in bed with Big Pharma. Michiganders deserve a leader like Abdul El-Sayed, who will not only look out for them but is committed to standing up to Big Pharma and corporate interests in order to lower costs.”
ON THE BLOG: Confused about voter ID, mail-in voting, or voting early? We’re setting the record straight with some midterm voting mythbusting, and sharing how to make your plan to vote before Election Day on November 3.
ON OUR SOCIALS: Trump is coming for Yosemite, because apparently even one of our most iconic national parks isn’t safe from the sell-off. We’re breaking down the fight against data centers and Big Tech, what’s at stake in the midterms, and why we need to save the census. And, like always, we’ve rounded up some Good Climate News you may have missed this week.
OCTOBER 24: National Vote Early Day.
NOVEMBER 2: Comment period closes on EPA’s proposal to eliminate standards for climate pollution from power plants.
NOVEMBER 2: Comment period closes for the Census Bureau’s proposal for numerous changes to the Residence Rule in the 2030 Census that would undercount various communities.
NOVEMBER 3: ELECTION DAY.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters