We're back with our climate and energy communications cheat sheet.

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Hi,

With only two full days left until the first presidential primary votes of 2020 begin in Iowa, there will be lots of focus on climate. A Des Moines Register poll ([link removed]) found that it’s the second most important issue (behind health care) for likely caucus-goers. That squares with our polling last year of rural voters in Iowa ([link removed]) and seven other states with One Country Project. Those voters said they are looking for practical climate solutions that also improve American competitiveness. If Democrats want to maintain the House and take back the White House and Senate, then candidates in rural and swing districts have every incentive to focus their climate message on these voter priorities.

Not sure where Democratic presidential candidates stand on policy? Take a look at our side-by-side comparison of frontrunners’ stances on climate and clean energy policies here ([link removed]) .
We’re also excited to let you know that episode two of the Path to Zero ([link removed]) series dropped yesterday. This episode, “What Do We Need in Our Climate Toolkit?” features Nobel Prize winner and former Obama Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu in conversation with hosts Julia Pyper, Brandon Hurlburt, and Shane Skelton. Listen here ([link removed]) , or find out more information below. This is a monthly series produced by Political Climate in partnership with Third Way.
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#CleanFuture
It’s finally here: Democratic leaders from the House Energy & Commerce Committee released their “Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act” that lays out clear steps to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. These policies include a federal clean electricity standard ([link removed]) , vehicle performance standards ([link removed]) , Buy Clean programs ([link removed]) , energy efficiency improvements, and a National Climate Bank to finance technologies that reduce emissions.
Talking points:
* Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is going to take a variety of policy mechanisms that reduce emissions, increase access to clean energy technology for all Americans, and improve American competitiveness. We appreciate Energy and Commerce Democrats for producing a forward-thinking vision to realize meaningful climate improvements.
* When Democrats are in charge, this is the kind of bold and ambitious action on climate that occurs. That’s something to remind voters of ahead of the 2020 election in both congressional and presidential races.
* Democrats are driving serious and data-driven action on climate. It’s incumbent on Republicans, who have not provided a clear vision on emissions reductions, to either counter with solutions, cooperate with Democrats, or move out of the way of real progress.

Fracking Ban Platform Could Halt a Democrat’s Path to the White House

Last Friday, The New York Times’ podcast The Daily ([link removed]) issued a stark warning to national Democrats from Pennsylvania Democratic elected officials, union leaders, and voters: embrace a fracking ban at your own peril. On Monday, Times reporters Lisa Friedman and Shane Goldmacher wrote a follow-up ([link removed]) warning that for 2020 Democrats, supporting a ban could be commensurate with Hillary Clinton’s comments ([link removed]) on coal in 2016, which may have cost her the state.

Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation ([link removed]) to ban fracking. But in this swing state, “you’re talking hundreds of thousands of related jobs that … would be unemployed overnight,” said Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman, who has endorsed Sanders in the past, and vice versa. “Pennsylvania is a margin play. And an outright ban on fracking isn’t a margin play.”
As always, let’s keep the conversation going,
Jared

Jared DeWese
Senior Communications Advisor | Third Way
202.384.1737 :: @jareddewese ([link removed])

T.J. Osborne
Climate and Energy Press Coordinator | Third Way
202.775.5163 :: @tjosborne_ ([link removed])

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