Before the last midterm elections in 2022, a number of Democrats tried to make global warming a campaign issue, with some spotlighting the big clean energy bill that Congress had passed that summer. It’s a different story this year. Ahead of today’s election, many Democratic candidates steered clear of talking about climate change, evidence of a larger shift in the party lately.
Democrats talk far less these days about soaring global temperatures, rising sea levels or worsening wildfires. The party has embraced Senate candidates like James Talarico in Texas and Mary Peltola in Alaska, who actively support their state’s fossil-fuel industries. Even some blue-state Democratic governors, like Kathy Hochul of New York and Maura Healey of Massachusetts, now back expanding natural gas supplies to lower costs.
While many elected Democrats still say they want to reduce planet-warming emissions, some have said they’re not going to be vocal about the issue when Americans are more concerned about rising costs and inflation. Recent polls have found that voters consider climate change a problem, but tend to rank it low on a list of priorities. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
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