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Another candidate joins the race and many candidates supported climate action in television appearances and at events in early states this week.
Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) announced his campaign for president on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a campaign video, Swalwell said, “Most Americans agree that to address climate chaos, to make sure your house doesn’t end up underwater or on fire, we should do something about it but make sure we’re not pitting workers against their job,” Swalwell’s first campaign event was a town hall focused on reducing gun violence, where he noted that he will also campaign on other issues, including climate change.
Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks in Sunrise, FL: “Throughout this campaign there will be other issues I talk about on healthcare, education and climate change, but my pledge to you tonight is that this issue [of gun violence] comes first.” pic.twitter.com/7dh0V6rAbC
— The Hill (@thehill) April 10, 2019
Former Secretary Julián Castro (D-TX) expressed support for investing in clean energy and reducing carbon pollution and called for immediately re-joining the Paris climate agreement. Castro also spoke about climate action and his support for the Paris climate agreement on Real Time with Bill Maher.
I like the concept of a #GreenNewDeal. Invest in renewable energy, cut carbon emissions and convince other countries to do the same. But today we can’t do this, because this POTUS has decided to bury his head in the sand and pretend this isn’t a problem. But we know the truth.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) April 12, 2019
Former Representative John Delaney (D-MD) spoke about building bipartisan support for a carbon tax and tweeted about investing in negative emissions technology as a potential way to reduce carbon pollution.
Climate change can feel like an immense problem but let’s not forget, there are real, attainable solutions within our grasp. Negative emissions technology can actually pull CO2 out of the atmosphere.
— John Delaney (@JohnDelaney) April 10, 2019
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) participated in a town hall on CNN where she doubled down on her support for a Green New Deal to get to net-zero carbon emissions. Answering additional questions in the green room, Gillibrand named climate change as one of three things we have to deal with right now.
We should confront the existential threat of climate change like JFK’s moonshot: Let’s pass a #GreenNewDeal and get to net-zero carbon emissions not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard. The whole point is that it’s an ambitious set of goals—why not try? #GillibrandTownHall
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) April 10, 2019
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) hosted a town hall in Iowa where she reiterated her support for a Green New Deal. Harris also highlighted “floods, and the significance of climate change” as one of the top two issues she hearing about from Iowans.
.@KamalaHarris on climate change and flooding in Iowa: “There’s a shifting of the climate in a way that’s creating new … situations that we’re not prepared to deal with because it is not what we have seen before.” #iacaucus https://t.co/eM9NLEMM8D
— Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) April 12, 2019
Climate change came up early and often during CNN’s Town Hall with Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA). Inslee advocated for a just transition to clean energy and to eliminate the Senate filibuster in order to pass climate legislation. He also called out President Trump’s recent false statement on wind energy, noting, “Wind turbines don’t cause cancer. They cause jobs.”
Gov. Jay Inslee counters President Trump: “Wind turbines don’t cause cancer. They cause jobs” https://t.co/upM4fpCl08 pic.twitter.com/hp9eeCkERD
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 11, 2019
Our Climate Action team in Nevada caught up with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as she talked about her support for taking action on climate change.
Back in Iowa, former Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) advocated for clean energy and warned that climate change “will become exponentially worse if we do nothing about it.” O’Rourke also changed his position to oppose offshore drilling after voting for it when he served in Congress.
Beto O’Rourke is asked—and answers—a Q in Spanish, the 3rd time he’s done this during this trip. The question is, what’s one change you’ll make that will last 500 years? He answers, confronting climate change. pic.twitter.com/f2CNfwj9hF
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) April 6, 2019
Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH) tweeted a call to act on climate change in order to protect the environment, the economy, and our national security. At an event with the Building Trades, Ryan expressed support for investing in electric vehicles as way to create jobs and protect our climate.
Newly minted 2020 candidate Tim Ryan tells the Building Trades Union we need to “not be so hostile” to free enterprise and business, even if OK to be hostile to concentration of wealth. Gives example of electric vehicles and all the jobs they’ll create while helping climate.
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) April 10, 2019
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) released a new video on Facebook outlining the ways climate change will affect all of us, and he also tweeted a call for action.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: climate change is a threat to our national security. We need a commander in chief who understands that, not one who thinks it is a Chinese hoax. https://t.co/EiPn1tnMLH
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 6, 2019
In Nevada, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) expressed support for the Green New Deal and proposed taking steps to mitigate wildfires.
Next up, a Patagonia employee asks what Warren will do to “undo the damage Trump is doing to the environment.”
Warren mentions:
– The Green New Deal
– Investments in infrastructure, including green energy and a green grid— Megan Messerly (@meganmesserly) April 6, 2019
At a campaign stop in New Hampshire, Senator Cory Booker (D- NJ) warned inaction on climate will lead to an “unstable planet” and pledged to recommit the U.S. to the Paris climate Agreement as his first act.
Sen. Cory Booker on climate change: “If we don’t do something rapidly, just 25 years from now, when I’m at the age of the current president, then we will have a nation where we are dealing with an unstable planet.” pic.twitter.com/DwxLiojeAg
— The Hill (@thehill) April 7, 2019
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) continued to call for action on climate change while stumping in New Hampshire, Nevada, and at the LGBTQ Victory Fund Brunch in DC. Check out LCV’s Climate Action team in Nevada speaking with Buttigieg about climate change after an event.
.@PeteButtigieg calls climate change perhaps “the great security issue of our time,” also dings current administration who he doesn’t think even understands cybersecurity. pic.twitter.com/74UMRgvDU1
— Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) April 6, 2019