Time for Candidates to Go on the Climate Offense

Michigan Senate - Land vs. Peters Polling Data

Poll	Date	Sample	Peters (D)	Land (R)	Spread
RCP Average	4/3 - 5/20	--	42.2	39.2	Peters +3.0
EPIC-MRA	5/17 - 5/20	600 LV	44	38	Peters +6
CEA/Hickman Analytics (D)	4/24 - 4/30	502 LV	42	37	Peters +5
Magellan Strategies (R)	4/14 - 4/15	875 LV	46	41	Peters +5
Mitchell Research	4/9 - 4/9	1460 LV	38	44	Land +6
PPP (D)	4/3 - 4/6	825 RV	41	36	Peters +5

If something were threatening the economic, cultural, and natural lifeblood of your state, would you want your members of Congress to ignore it or address it?  Representative Gary Peters realizes that most voters want leaders to actually solve problems.  And so he has made tackling climate change one of the central issues of the Michigan Senate race.

Plenty of other candidates have talked about climate change on the campaign trail.  But Peters is one of the first to go on the climate offense.  And judging from recent polls, his leadership has boosted his odds of winning.

Peters has challenged his opponent Terri Lynn Land to clarify her position on climate change and to acknowledge that human activity causes climate change.  "This is something elected officials should be talking about -- we have to be concerned about it," Peters recently told the Washington Post.  "Certainly the voters would like to know where she is.  It's a major issue."

The National Mining Association responded recently by funding $300,000-worth of radio ads defending Land, but Peters isn't backing down.  He knows climate action is right for Michigan and for America, and he isn't letting Land or the fossil fuel industry off the hook. He will also have the support of Tom Steyer's NextGen Climate and will be one of their top featured races in their #WinOnClimate campaign.

"I can't imagine the Koch brothers would be supporting [Land] to the tune that they are unless she agrees with their agenda," Peters said. "A big part of their agenda is dismantling environmental regulations.  Until she says otherwise, it's safe to assume she subscribes to it."

Peters' approach has the makings of a winning strategy.  According to the NRDC Action Fund's analysis of the past two election cycles, the best way to appeal to voters on climate change is to be early, loud, and local.  In other words, get out front of the issue before your opponent does, talk about the issue often, and connect the dots between climate change and your home state.

Time for Candidates to Go on the Climate Offense