LCV Victory Fund | Dirty Dozen in the States

Arizona Corporation Commission – Kevin Thompson Nominated by Chispa Arizona

Kevin Thompson spent over a decade working at Southwest Gas, the largest provider of fracked gas in the state and one of the same companies he’d be tasked with regulating as Commissioner. He also served on the American Gas Association’s public policy committee, a trade association who has fought against many local climate initiatives. Thompson opposes mandates like the state’s renewable energy standard, incentives for electric vehicles, and even energy efficiency requirements for utilities. If a seat is flipped on the ACC this year, it could be the swing vote to bring 100% clean electricity to Arizona.

Connecticut Governor – Bob Stefanowski – Nominated by Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Political Action CommitteeDefeated

Bob Stefanowski was endorsed by Donald Trump and made climate denying statements in his previous run for Governor in 2018. Connecticut LCV believes that if he wins, the state could be forced into four years of defensive advocacy against rollbacks and fighting new gas expansion. The state’s DEEP, which is currently an essential state partner, could be rolled back along with the newly formed CT Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) and the Governor’s Council on Climate change, both created by Executive Order. These hard-won initiatives under the last administration could be halted under Bob Stefanowski.

Maine Governor – Paul LePage – Nominated by Maine Conservation Voters Action FundDefeated

Paul LePage is the former two-term Republican Governor of Maine and was previously on LCVVF’s 2014 Dirty Dozen list. LePage left office with a devastating anti-renewable energy, anti-environment, and oil-dependent legacy. LePage vetoed toxic chemical protections, let critical conservation funding expire, and put an oil lobbyist in charge of the Department of Environmental Protection. He has proudly called himself “Trump before Trump” and was known for his anti-immigrant and racist behavior. 

Maine Conservation Voters endorsed candidate, Governor Mills has worked to protect the state’s environment, tackle climate change, and create good-paying jobs and opportunities for all Mainers. Maine can’t afford to go back to Paul LePage.

Maryland Governor – Dan Cox – Nominated by Maryland League of Conservation Voters PACDefeated

Dan Cox has a 16% lifetime score from Maryland LCV, who has previously denied climate science, and is running as a far right MAGA candidate. He also sponsored three bus-loads of supporters to the “Million MAGA March” on January 6th. He has a long history of paranoid and false comments about the 2020 election and is already sowing doubts about a free and fair election in 2022. Maryland LCV endorsed candidate Wes Moore has committed to 100% clean energy, preserving the Chesapeake Bay, and fighting for environmental justice across the state.

Michigan Attorney General – Matthew DePerno – Nominated by Conservation Voters of Michigan PACDefeated

Attorney General candidate Matthew DePerno led the charge to attack Michigan election results, quickly becoming a national figure in former President Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. He filed a lawsuit to overturn county election results, continues to push the conspiracy theory that state voting machines were broken into and changed, and is under investigation for alleged illegal tampering with voting machines. He has also committed to ending the state’s lawsuit against Enbridge and their Line 5 oil pipeline that would run directly under Lake Michigan, threatening the Great Lakes.

Nevada Secretary of State – Jim Marchant – Nominated by Nevada Conservation Leadership PACDefeated

Jim Marchant, an election denier, is a direct threat to the recent pro-democracy legislation passed in the Silver State. He filed a lawsuit to challenge the results of the 2020 election, and tried to have all electronic ballot counting stopped in Nevada. The Washington Post highlighted Marchant’s work to organize Secretary of State office seekers across the country as a wave of election denying, conspiracy driven candidates. 

 

New Mexico Governor – Mark Ronchetti – Nominated by Conservation Voters New Mexico Verde Voters FundDefeated

Under current Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s leadership, the state has had more pro-climate and conservation executive action and legislation than at any time in the state’s history. All of these accomplishments are under threat from Mark Ronchetti. Ronchetti is a local weatherman who has made climate denying statements; “Climate change doesn’t cause fires, come on!” He has also accepted over $300,000 in contributions directly tied to the oil and gas industry. Conservation Voters of New Mexico believes the Governor’s race in New Mexico will be the most consequential event for the state’s future in a generation.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice – Pat DeWine – Nominated by Conservation Ohio PAC

Pat DeWine is currently on the state Supreme Court and seeking a second term. He is the son of Governor Mike DeWine with a terrible record on the court. He has ruled in favor of Republican Gerrymandered election maps, refusing to recuse himself despite his father’s direct hand in writing and approving the maps. Justice DeWine is a close ally of the corrupt utility company FirstEnergy that recently was involved in one of the largest state election bribery scandals in US history. He rules consistently in favor of utility companies and against consumers and has accepted tens of thousands from the electrical utility industry, mining, chemical manufacturing, and the oil and gas industry. 

Oregon Governor – Betsy Johnson & Christine Drazan – Nominated by Oregon League of Conservation Voters PACDefeated

Two candidates for the same race have never been nominated at the same time, but this highlights how dangerous both candidates are for Oregon’s environment. Oregon League of Conservation Voters endorsed candidate Tina Kotek is in a three-way contest against two well-funded, anti-environment candidates. Christine Drazan, the Republican nominee and former House Republican Leader, is in lockstep with extreme national Republicans. Betsy Johnson has a disastrous 20+ year environmental voting record

Both Johnson and Drazan accept significant money from the oil and gas industry and have opposed every single major climate bill in Oregon’s recent history, including 100% Clean Energy for All, the Clean Energy Jobs bill, and the Oregon Environmental Protection Act. Drazan also helped lead the 2020 House Republican walkout to kill the Clean Energy Jobs bill. One of Oregon’s biggest recent victories is Governor Brown’s executive order on climate, the Oregon Climate Action Plan. Both Johnson and Drazan have publicly said that a top priority would be ending it. (Drazen photo credit: MetroEast Community Media)

Pennsylvania Governor – Doug Mastriano Nominated by Conservation Voters of PennsylvaniaDefeated

Currently a State Senator, Doug Mastriano earned a 0% score on the 2019/2020 Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard. He opposes the state joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, one of CVPA’s biggest priorities and introduced SB 1219, calling for unfettered fracking, pipeline expansion, and looser oversight of drilling activities. Perhaps most disturbingly,  CNN highlighted Mastriano’s direct involvement to try and overturn the 2020 election result in Pennsylvania. He was later subpoenaed by the January 6th Committee for trying to overturn the election in his own state and was also among those that crossed police barriers during the Capitol insurrection, even paying for transportation to the Capitol for other Trump supporters.

Wisconsin Governor – Tim Michels – Nominated by Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure CommitteeDefeated