Democrats fighting election battles ask environmentalists, "Where are you guys?"
Energy companies and businesses are ramping up spending on candidates and issues, while environmental groups face lagging donations and enthusiasm for campaigns key to climate change action.
Environmentalists who provided money, zeal and manpower to Democrats in 2008 are demoralized this campaign cycle, further fraying the coalition that sent Barack Obama to the White House and gave the party majorities in both houses of Congress.
Meanwhile, energy and business interests have ramped up spending by tens of millions of dollars, hoping in part to halt climate change legislation promised by Obama but stalled in the Senate.
Key donors, citing the fate of the global warming legislation, are not contributing as much money as they did in 2008. "One of them said, 'I thought our side won the last election, and it doesn't seem to make any difference,' " said Rodger Schlickeisen, president and chief executive of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.
At the same time, some Democratic leaders accuse environmentalists of failing to back members in tough districts who took a risk voting for controversial legislation to cap carbon emissions.
"They promised to support candidates who took a tough vote for climate change. Where are they? Where's the cavalry?" asked one Democratic Party official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly.
At a private meeting of congressional Democrats last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) discussed the funding disparity between Republican-backed groups and those who had been expected to help Democrats. One participant said Pelosi told her fellow Democrats that she had asked environmental leaders, "Where are you guys?"
The environmentalists' lack of enthusiasm presents yet another challenge to Democrats, who are struggling to keep control of Congress. The environment has become a potent campaign issue, with a numerous Republican candidates downplaying humans as a cause of global warming, while leading advocates of climate change legislation, such as Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), face strong challenges.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has begun running ads in multiple states criticizing candidates who voted for the cap-and-trade bill. The chamber announced plans to spend $75 million on campaigns this year, up from $50 million in 2008.
A number of environmentalists acknowledge that fundraising is challenging this year, but say it is because of the tough economic conditions and that they expect to be outspent by business groups like the chamber.
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