ICYMI: Energy Intelligence, “Democrats Flip Script, Play Offense on Energy, Climate”

Washington, D.C. — Today, Energy Intelligence reports that Kamala Harris and Democrats across the country are going on offense against Donald Trump on energy and climate, highlighting her tie-breaking vote to triple clean energy production, lower energy costs, and create more than 330,000 new clean energy jobs. The contrast with Trump’s Project 2025 agenda that threatens the middle class with higher energy costs and 1.7 million job losses couldn’t be clearer: Kamala Harris is running on her record while Donald Trump is running scared from his own.  

Energy Intelligence: Democrats Flip Script, Play Offense on Energy, Climate

US President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris are trying to flip the script on Republicans by touting the administration’s energy and climate policies with just two months to go before the election.

As the campaign heats up, the Biden-Harris administration is using the power of the presidency to send officials out into key battleground states to play up the economic benefits of legislation that provides billions of dollars to support investment in clean energy.

While Harris remains light on policy details, her strategy has shifted from defense to offense after attacks from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans on issues ranging from gasoline prices to public spending under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Those Republican talking points have lost some of their power recently, with the administration and the Harris campaign now firing back by pointing to a drop in gasoline prices and record US oil and gas production.

National average gasoline prices are hovering around $3.30 per gallon, down almost 50¢ from a year ago and far below the prices of nearly $5/gallon seen in June 2022 during the early phase of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to lower everyday costs, with record energy production — including record oil production — helping [gasoline] prices reach their lowest level in three years,” the White House boasted on social media last week.

Job Growth

Meanwhile, the administration is touting tens of billions of dollars spent on renewable energy and robust job creation in the sector in a bid to push back on Trump’s criticism of the “Green New Steal” — a reference to the IRA, which he has vowed to roll back, along with various climate and energy regulations and electric vehicle mandates.

Trump has promised to cut energy prices in half if elected, without explaining how that would be possible, and has also vowed to approve pipelines, refineries and drilling permits swiftly.

On Thursday, he said he would appoint billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead a new government efficiency commission to slash regulations and implement sweeping reforms.

It’s unclear whether Trump’s talking points are gaining traction among voters in the few swing states that will decide the election, but the Biden-Harris administration can point out that most of the benefits of the IRA are flowing to Republican-dominated states.

And, by using the power of the presidency, the Biden-Harris administration can get the word out through multiple channels without campaign expenses.

A recent report from the Department of Energy noted that employment in the renewable energy industry expanded last year at more than twice the rate of the country’s overall job growth with the addition of 142,000 positions.

That robust job growth trajectory “is expected to continue for decades to build out the clean energy infrastructure that we need,” according to Betony Jones, the department’s head of energy jobs.

Swing State Votes

Biden, playing a supporting role in the Harris campaign, announced $7.3 billion in IRA funding for clean energy projects in rural areas during a visit on Thursday to Wisconsin, a swing state where rural votes are critical.

“These investments will lower energy costs by up to hundreds of dollars per year for millions of homes and businesses, tackle the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and create thousands of jobs and new economic opportunities in rural America,” the White House said in a statement.

Speaking in another swing state, North Carolina, on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen touted the benefits of IRA tax credits and incentives to families and businesses alike, while pointing to record domestic production of oil and gas, even as the US ramps up clean energy output.

She cautioned that it would be a “historic mistake” to roll back the IRA as Trump has advocated, saying it would raise costs for families and jeopardize investment in the economy.

In Arizona, another swing state where every vote will count, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced $300 million in climate pollution reduction grants on Thursday for tribal districts and US territories.