In this election, voters overwhelmingly favored candidates who support clean energy, clean air, and strong public health safeguards.
This is victory for everyone who likes to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and it is a resounding defeat for polluters and the dirty agenda they tried to sell to voters.
The fossil fuel industry spent $270 million on TV ads in this election and yet they have very little to show for it.
Oil, gas, and coal companies spent $20 million to defeat Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), but he won anyway. He ran on his record of supporting renewable power and environmental protections and voters rewarded him for it.
Fossil fuel companies opened their checkbooks for Former Representative Heather Wilson, a pro-drilling, anti-climate action candidate. But voters preferred Representative Martin Heinrich and the fact that he made clean energy and climate action a central part of his campaign.
In Virginia, fossil fuel companies and other outside interests spent heavily to take a senate seat away from the Democratic Party. Voters weren't buying it. They elected Former Governor Tim Kaine who has a long history of standing up for clean air and public health safeguards.
Voters recognize that clean energy and clean air deliver real benefits to our communities. More than 120,000 Americans have jobs in the solar industry, and more than 150,000 people work building parts for and assembling clean cars—hybrids, electric cars, and other advanced vehicles that weren't even available 10 years ago. More than 1 million Americans are now saving money on their electric bills because they made their homes more energy efficient. And hundreds of thousands of children will breathe easier once power plants start following new limits on mercury, lead, and other air pollutants.
Oil and gas companies thought that if they spent millions and millions of dollars, they could distract Americans from these benefits and undermine support for clean energy.
They were wrong, and they lost.
I guess money can't buy you love.
by Heather Taylor-Miesle, Director NRCD Action Fund
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