It’s Official: 2022 Proved Again That Running On Climate Action is a Winning Strategy

WASHINGTON, DC — In 2022, President Biden and Democrats delivered on their promises to act on climate by passing the Inflation Reduction Act—giving congressional Democratic candidates the ability to run and win on climate legislation that lowers energy costs for families and creates millions of clean energy jobs. And this strategy paid off. 

Senator Warnock, among other candidates, ran boldly on climate, from highlighting the importance of clean energy investments, to criticizing Big Oil CEOs for profiteering at the gas pump. Pro-polluter Republicans tried and failed to attack Warnock for supporting a clean energy transition. With Reverend Senator Warnock’s victory Tuesday night, Senate Democrats successfully defended and expanded their majority—meaning more climate champions in our government, and Senate committees can investigate Big Oil’s disinformation campaigns and disingenuous attacks on clean energy. 

“Candidates up and down the ballot, including Sen. Warnock, showed that running on the clean energy and climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act is a political winner,” said Lori Lodes, Executive Director of Climate Power. “Every single Democratic senator voted in support of taking action on climate and every single one of them is returning to Congress. This new Senate majority shows how much the politics of climate have changed and voters across party lines are ready for climate action.” 

“When climate voters turn out, people and the planet win,” said Pete Maysmith, LCV SVP of Campaigns. “We’re immensely proud of our work this cycle to reach key voters online, at the doors, and in their mailboxes with info about Democrats’ passage of the climate bill. We can’t wait to get to work with environmental champions in the incoming Congress to keep building a more just, equitable clean energy future.”

To help make the incoming Senate majority possible, LCV Victory Fund and Climate Power Action ran an over $14 million Climate Voters Mobilization program, part of a historic climate coalition’s $135 million IE campaign, that targeted over 2 million voters who were motivated by climate and environmental issues, but at risk of sitting out this midterm cycle. Using multiple direct mail flights and consistent digital ads, the program successfully reached climate voters that were majority young people, a key voting block for Democrats this year. Sen. Warnock’s win means Climate Power Action and LCV Victory Fund were victorious in 28 of the 33 races targeted in their inaugural joint Climate Voters Mobilization program. Find a full summary of LCV Victory Fund and affiliated entities’ electoral work this cycle here.

Climate Power Action, Climate Power’s IE program, launched just six months ago to elect climate champions and build the political strength needed to secure and protect ambitious climate legislation. In coordination with LCV Victory Fund, their efforts aimed at turning out voters who want congressional candidates to make averting the climate crisis a top priority.

LCV Victory Fund runs independent campaigns to influence competitive federal races where our involvement and issues can be decisive for pro-environment, pro-democracy candidates who reflect the racial and gender diversity of our country.