Friend — today is Election Day, and around the country, voters will decide control of a number of vital state and local offices.

These races will have significant impacts on protecting clean energy progress and holding the line against attacks on our democracy. That’s why LCV and our state affiliates worked hard to track key races and help ensure that climate and democracy champions prevail in each.

These elections matter. Before Congress passed the historic clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the majority of climate progress in the last decade was the result of state and local action. Because of that state and local leadership, more than 40% of people in the U.S. now live in places committed to 100% clean energy. Furthermore, much of the success of the IRA’s investments is now in the hands of these state and local leaders.

Bottom line: We need mayors, city council members, and state legislators who understand the importance of implementing climate action and protecting our democracy.

As a key part of our movement, I’m reaching out to share information about a few races that are important to our movement, and which we’ll be tracking closely today. These races are not only critical for what happens in each state or city. They serve as a bellwether for the 2024 elections to follow.
 

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Legislatures

Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate

Since his election in 2021, Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin has consistently attempted to roll back climate progress and protections for voters — and if the governor gets a Republican majority in the legislature to rubber stamp his agenda, he will succeed.

The governor aims to roll back the state’s landmark emissions standards and electric vehicle protections and pull the state out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), one of the most successful clean energy programs in the country. Virginia League of Conservation Voters-PAC (VALCV-PAC) invested over $2.2M to help elect climate champions in the state Senate and House in order to protect the state’s clean energy and democracy progress.

New Jersey Legislature

For years, New Jersey has been a center of environmental progress. Governor Phil Murphy has often been listed among the greenest governors in the country, and the state has some of the strongest environmental justice provisions in the nation. But Big Oil has used their deep pockets to attack state clean energy efforts like offshore wind, spreading widely debunked misinformation. The state legislature has the opportunity to protect these clean energy investments and continue to make progress on issues like cleaner transportation. Our state affiliate New Jersey LCV Victory Fund invested heavily in this race to make sure we maintain a pro-environment majority in the state’s legislature.
 

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Mayors

Boise

Incumbent Mayor Lauren McLean has been a national example of how to be an environmental champion against enormous odds. She set comprehensive climate goals for city departments, dramatically increased tree cover and protections for open spaces, and passed new zoning codes to make the city more affordable and less polluted.

Boise continues to be a tremendous example of clean energy progress. McLean’s opponent Mike Masterson has said he wants to slow down that progress and casts skepticism on electric vehicles. Conservation Voters for Idaho Action Fund made historic investments in this race, including financial investments and grassroots mobilization.

Duluth

Across the country in Minnesota’s northern city of Duluth, another incumbent climate champion mayor is up for reelection. During Mayor Emily Larson’s first term, the city of Duluth created its first-ever Sustainability Office and implemented plans that have reduced pollution by 32% (PDF).

The city is also confronting  environmental injustice, starting a new program to remove lead from water pipes. In contrast, Larson’s opponent, Roger Reinhart, has said he’d leave climate action to personal responsibility and that the city isn’t going to “be able to change the climate.” Results in Duluth will show whether voters reaffirmed their city’s commitment to climate action.

Tucson

Incumbent Mayor Regina Romero has been a true climate champion during her first term as Mayor of Tucson. Romero helped Tucson become a conservation leader in the Southwest by tackling contamination in water and reducing the city’s consumption from the Colorado River and Lake Mead. LCV’s Chispa Arizona PAC was proud to have actively supported Romero’s reelection.
 

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Supreme Court

Pennsylvania

Over the last four years, this state court has ruled on a number of incredibly important decisions, including ruling against an unconstitutional gerrymander attempt and rejecting a Republican effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the battleground state. The Keystone State’s Supreme Court currently has one vacant seat on its seven-member body.

The race for the vacant seat between Republican Carolyn Carluccio and Democrat Dan McCaffery has turned into nearly an eight-figure race, and the winner will likely cast the decisive vote in a critically important upcoming case focused on the state’s participation in RGGI. A McCaffery win would go a long way to protecting our democracy from outside attacks and ensuring climate action initiatives get a fair hearing.
 

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Friend — the stakes today are huge. LCV’s state affiliates are hard at work and have knocked on tens of thousands of doors and invested nearly $3M in support of candidates who will take meaningful action on climate and democracy issues. As soon as we have the results, we’ll be in touch. Thank you for the support you give every day to the environmental movement.

Pete Maysmith
Senior Vice President of Campaigns
League of Conservation Voters