LCV Action Fund Announces Two New Endorsements: Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy and Rep. Baron Hill

LCV Action Fund rolled out two fresh endorsements today, Representatives Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) and Baron Hill (IN-09), in their bids for re-election.

Both Rep. Kilroy and Rep. Hill were crucial to the House's passage of of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, and supported the single largest investment in clean energy in history – more than $80 billion for energy efficiency, renewable energy and public transit in the economic recovery package. For their efforts, each has earned stellar lifetime scores from the LCV - 100% and 75%, respectively.

During her tenure, Rep. Kilroy has consistently supported efforts to create clean energy jobs, including working to secure more than $266 million to weatherize homes across Ohio. She also introduced the “Energy Efficiency Modernization Act of 2009,” legislation to create market-based incentives to increase the energy efficiency of federally subsidized housing, creating clean energy jobs and saving taxpayers money.

Rep. Hill, on the other hand, sits on both the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Science and Technology Committee, putting him in a strong position to craft national policies that advance clean energy and the environment. As a member of the Blue Dog Caucus, Rep. Hill’s support for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 in Committee sent a strong signal to his moderate colleagues. Rep. Hill also worked tirelessly in 2007 to raise vehicle fuel economy standards for the first time in decades.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committees.

LCV Rolls Out Inaugural State-Level Dirty Dozen

Yesterday, the League of Conservation Voters unveiled its inaugural state-level Dirty Dozen program. The candidates selected represent some of the most anti-environment politicians running for public office this year. In compiling this infamous list, LCV solicited input from its 34 state partners from among hundreds of candidates running for governor, state senate and state house.

The candidates who have received the dubious distinction are as follows:

• Arizona – Al Melvin, State Senate District 26
• Florida – Dean Cannon, State House District 35
• Massachusetts – Timothy Cahill, Governor
• Michigan – John Pappageorge, State Senate District 13
• Minnesota –Tom Emmer, Governor
• Montana – Roy Brown, State Senate District 25
• Nevada – Don Gustavson, Washoe State Senate District 2
• New York – William Stachowski, State Senate District 58
• North Carolina – Mark Crawford, State House District 115
• Oregon – Frank Morse, State Senate District 8
• Pennsylvania – John Perzel, State House District 172
• Texas – Rick Perry, Governor
  

Learn more about LCV's Dirty Dozen program.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters and the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, 1920 L St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Primary Day

Today is a big primary day in the 2010 midterm elections as 5 states will hold their primaries and the focus begins to turn to the general elections. Today primaries will be held in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, and Vermont. Here is the rundown:

Florida’s U.S. Senate race is the most competitive and nationally watched primary of the day. Current U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek is in a battle against billionaire Jeff Greene for the Democratic nomination in the general election against current Governor Charlie Crist (Independent) and the presumptive Republican nominee Marco Rubio (a nominee for LCV’s People’s Choice Dirty Dozen award—voting closes on Thursday!).

In Arizona, John McCain is positioned to beat his opponent J.D. Hayworth after spending an astronomical $21 Million in the primary alone. McCain used this money in a flurry of negative ads portraying Hayworth as a "Huckster". In the last Rasmussen poll conducted on 7/21, McCain led Hayworth 54% to 34%.

In Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski faces a primary challenger in Palin-endorsed candidate Joe Miller. Murkowski looks to have the advantage headed into the primary after outspending her challenger 4 to 1.

The headline in Vermont is a competitive 5 way race for Democratic nominee for Governor to take over the open seat left behind by Jim Douglas who chose not to seek re-election.

Oklahoma is set to vote a second time for the primary in a runoff election in districts 2 and 5, stemming from the first Primary that took place on July 27th.

The primary season is beginning to come to an end with the last primary election taking place on September 18th. Remaining primaries throughout the country include Louisiana, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin on September 14th and the final primary in Hawaii on September 18th. As the primaries wrap up, the countdown to the general elections on November 2 kicks into gear: 70 days to go!

Check out LCV Action Fund's GiveGreen website to make a direct contribution to the pro-environment candidates we've endorsed this year. GiveGreen is the only website devoted exclusively to raising money for those candidates willing to take on the corporate polluters and fight for a clean energy future.

Click here to visit GiveGreen.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

LCV Adds Pat Toomey to 2010 "Dirty Dozen"

Today, the League of Conservation Voters named former Club for Growth President and Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey to its 2010 "Dirty Dozen" list. LCV is also launching a concurrent online campaign, which includes a web video alerting Pennsylvania voters to contributions Toomey has received from Big Oil and his dangerous support for oil and gas drilling in Lake Erie.



"Be it as a member of Congress or president of the Club for Growth, Pat Toomey has made clear that he walks lockstep with Big Oil and other corporate polluters while opposing new energy policies that would set America on the path to a clean energy future,” said Tony Massaro, Senior Vice President for Political Affairs at the League of Conservation Voters. “From drilling for oil in the Great Lakes to opposing legislation that creates clean energy jobs, his extreme views on energy policy put him far outside the mainstream and easily earn him a spot on the Dirty Dozen."

Click here to post this video to your Facebook wall.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Clean Energy Champs Facing False, Misleading Attacks

Last year, the House of Representatives voted for the the landmark American Clean Energy Security Act. But now many of our strongest environmental allies who stood up to Big Oil and voted for the legislation are now facing a barrage of false and misleading attacks from special interest groups. Consider this recent TV ad from the deceptively named American Action Network that attacks New Hampshire Senate candidate Paul Hodes.



We fully expect our clean energy champions running for the House and Senate this year to face countless attacks from Big Oil's allies. But that's why we need to make sure that our friends have the resources they need to beat back and counter these attacks.

Visit LCV Action Fund's GiveGreen website to make a direct contribution to the pro-environment candidates we've endorsed this year. GiveGreen is the only website devoted exclusively to raising money for those candidates willing to take on the corporate polluters and fight for a clean energy future.

Click here to visit GiveGreen.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Vote for the Next Member of the Dirty Dozen

Who will join Roy Blunt, Michele Bachmann, Richard Pombo, Steve Pearce and Blanche Lincoln on the Dirty Dozen? It's up to you.

Vote today in the Dirty Dozen "People's Choice."

This round of Dirty Dozen nominees focuses on Senate incumbents and challengers and includes some of Big Oil and Dirty Coal’s closest allies:

Florida Senate Candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL)

North Carolina Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)

Nevada Senate Candidate Sharron Angle (R-NV)

California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina (R-CA)

Click here to vote. And after you've voted, be sure to encourage your friends and family to help decide the next member of the Dirty Dozen too!

GreeNews - 8/11

Nineteen gubernatorial races involve states that participate in the regional climate initiatives that have emerged as important alternatives to federal policy, putting climate change policy on the line this fall, Politico reports.

The island of ice more than four times the size of Manhattan that broke off Greenland earlier this week is now floating in the Atlantic and coming dangerously close to oil platforms and shipping lanes.

With legal cases against BP getting underway, initial estimates say claims already exceed the $20 billion BP promised.

The House yesterday derailed a bid to prevent the House from assembling and passing climate legislation in the post-election session of Congress during a post-election session.

The heatwaves and record breaking temperatures seen across southern and eastern states this summer are likely to continue in the future, says the National Wildlife Federation.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is having difficulty achieving consensus within her own government on a new energy policy, especially on the most contentious issue: the future of Germany’s nuclear plants.

House lawmakers voted Tuesday to cut federal renewable-energy subsidies, to help finance instead a $26 billion emergency aid package for state and local governments.

Congrats to Colorado Senator Michael Bennet

From LCV Senior VP for Political Affairs (and Colorado native) Tony Massaro:

“We applaud Senator Bennet’s victory in the Colorado Democratic primary. This victory brings Senator Bennet one step closer to continuing his good work in the Senate to help Colorado lead in the creation of the 21st century’s clean energy economy that will create jobs and make America less dependent on foreign oil. We look forward to the general election because Colorado voters understand the benefits of the clean energy economy.”

Now it's on to the general election fight. Help Sen. Bennet beat back the inevitable attacks on his commitment to building a clean energy economy by making a direct contribution to his campaign via LCV Action Fund's GiveGreen. For a complete list of congressional candidates endorsed by LCV Action Fund this year, visit www.lcv.org/2010.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.