Midterm Voters Are Worried About Climate, but Their Candidates Are Ignoring It
This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Most Americans feel unease or alarm about the climate crisis and, in both red and blue states, want to know how political leaders are going to fix it. But in midterm election campaigns across the US, candidates have responded to this […]
Midterm voters in the United States are deeply concerned about the climate crisis, yet their candidates have largely remained silent on the matter. Despite enduring a record hot summer and soaring energy costs, totaling around $2,000 per household, the issue of climate change has been conspicuously absent from campaign trails in the three weeks leading up to the midterms.
Many previously supportive Democratic candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Jon Ossoff in Georgia, have distanced themselves from the Green New Deal and focused on other issues such as the Iran war and inflation. Even candidates like James Talarico, who previously compared oil and gas to outdated technologies, have shifted their messaging to emphasize the importance of the oil and gas industry and their personal connections to it.
Polling data suggests that voters across eight battleground states, including Alaska, Georgia, Maine, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas, want candidates to prioritize talking about climate change rather than less about it. Three times as many voters in these swing states express a desire to hear more about climate change compared to those who would prefer less focus on the issue.
A majority of Americans remain worried about global heating, even in states heavily reliant on fossil fuels, despite the political success of a president who dismissed climate science as a hoax.
Despite this strong voter preference, many politicians are engaging in what can only be described as a "climate hush." This strategy appears to be a misguided attempt to gain electability, but polling indicates it is not aligned with voter sentiments. The data shows that a majority of Americans support transitioning away from fossil fuels and favoring clean energy solutions, even in traditionally conservative states.
Politicians would be wise to update their messaging to reflect this mainstream position and address voter concerns about the climate crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
