North Carolina candidate for Governor – Mark Robinson ✓ Defeated

Nominated by Conservation Votes PAC
Mark Robinson is the most extreme gubernatorial candidate in the country and currently embroiled in just the latest scandal over horrific comments he has reportedly  made in the past. While these alone are outrageous enough to be disqualifying, he has also called for removing science from elementary schools, passing a complete ban on abortion, and setting up a taskforce to investigate public schools “indoctrination”. He adamantly denies climate change as “junk science” and continuously pushes conspiracy theories about clean energy. Despite all this he’s still being propped up by funding from petrochemical giant Charles Koch. His opponent, Josh Stein, has made clean air and water and protecting state public lands a signature campaign priority.

Oregon Secretary of State candidate – Dennis Linthicum ✓ Defeated

Nominated by Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC
Since Dennis Linthicum came into office in 2017, he has been one of, if not the state’s strongest opponent of pro-environment and pro-democracy policy. He has a lifetime 0% on OLCV’s scorecard and was one of the architects of the Republican walkouts that killed votes on climate initiatives and threw the state government into chaos. The office oversees elections but also sits on the board that oversees state owned lands which he and his allies have tried to open to development and clear cutting. 

Washington Public Lands Commissioner candidate – Jaime Herrera Beutler ✓ Defeated

Nominated by Washington Conservation Action Votes
Jaime Herrera Beutler has a lifetime 14% LCV score and has been called “highly skeptical of setting aside more state forestland for conservation”. The state’s major corporate timber companies tried to rig the primary with two republican candidates but Dave Upthegrove made it through by 53 votes. Corporate and pro-polluter interests have already flocked to Herrera Beutler and are expected to back her fully so she’ll continue to prioritize their profits over protecting public lands for everyone in the state.

Arizona Corporation Commission candidate – Rachel Walden

Nominated by Chispa Arizona PAC
Rachel Walden has come out as a vocal opponent of clean energy and praised the commissioners who’ve continually raised rates on customers. She’s spoken out against renewable energy standards, and wants to build new polluting fossil fuel plants. She is backed by the state’s utilities who have staunchly opposed reform. If Walden and her allies win, the commission could be controlled entirely by extreme anti-clean energy commissioners.

Garfield County, CO Commissioner –  Mike Samson

Nominated by Conservation Colorado Victory Fund
Through Mike Samson’s 16-year career as a County Commissioner, Garfield County’s environmental record has become dominated by one thing: greenlighting anything the oil and gas industry wants. Commissioners have not only lobbied against common-sense protections to rein in major polluters, they used taxpayer dollars to do it. This has all gravely impacted local low income residents and threatened the area’s health and drinking water. In an exciting development, he finally has a viable challenger. Steven Arauza is a scientist, labor leader, and Conservation Colorado volunteer who works in oil and gas regulation and remediation. He’s outraising Samson and the race is widely viewed as neck and neck.

Montana Public Service Commissioner – Jennifer Fielder

Nominated by Montana Conservation Voters Action Fund
Jennifer Fielder has been a constant opponent of clean energy, opportunities to lower costs for customers, and has long advocated for taking away federal protections for Montana public lands. In the state legislature, she earned an abysmal lifetime score of 16% in Montana Conservation Voters’ legislative scorecard – even earning a spot on their “Dishonor Roll.” She has dangerous connections to extremist White Supremacist groups, election-deniers, and January 6th insurrectionists.

Arizona Legislative District 17 Senate candidate – Vince Leach

Nominated by Chispa Arizona PAC
Former state legislator Vince Leach was a clear opponent of clean energy during his last stint in office (2014-2018). He introduced bills written by state utilities to limit their own financial liability, consistently attacked clean energy, and attended the state’s infamous “stop the steal rally” in 2020. Legislative District 17 is one of the state’s most competitive senate districts that could determine the balance of the chamber. Leach’s opponent, John McLean, is focused on protecting Arizona’s water resources for future generations, volunteers with public lands groups, and is dedicated to the clean energy transition.

California Assembly District 50 candidate – Adam Perez ✓ Defeated

Nominated by California Environmental Voters Independent Expenditure Committee
Adam Perez is running for a critical swing seat that has become a flashpoint between Big Oil and those that care about climate change and clean energy. The oil and gas industry has already backed him with $1 million in the March primary. The oil industry has a long history of donating to a faction of state Democrats to try to stymie climate progress in California. This seat is crucial to stemming their power, sending the message that they cannot buy legislative support from either party.

Georgia State Senator District 48 – Shawn Still

Nominated by Georgia Conservation Voters Action Fund
Shawn Still is an ardent election denier who was indicted last year alongside former President Donald Trump for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He has one of the lowest environmental scores in the state legislature. On the other hand, his opponent is 24 year old Ashwin Ramaswami, who spent the last three years working for the federal government to protect elections from hackers and left his job to run against Still because he sees him as an even greater threat to our democracy.

Maine State Representative District 37 – Reagan Paul

Nominated by Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund
Reagan Paul is one of the most vocal opponents of clean energy in the state. She has stalled several projects in the legislature and has called for eliminating the state’s renewable portfolio standard. Her opponent Scott Cuddy is a strong clean energy supporter and formerly worked with the Maine Labor Climate Council. This seat could determine the balance of power in the state and is critical to clean energy progress.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 160 – Craig Williams

Nominated by Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Victory Fund
Craig Williams has become an ardent environmental opponent receiving just a 17% environmental score from Conservation Voters of PA. Williams was an attorney with one of the state’s utilities and has voted to block Pennsylvania’s participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and open up more state land to fracking. This seat could be the tipping point in deciding whether the Pennsylvania House has a pro-environment majority that will work to advance good policy on  behalf of the Keystone State.

Wisconsin State Senator District 8 – Duey Stroebel ✓ Defeated

Nominated by Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure Committee
Duey Stroebel  is one of the most extreme members of the Wisconsin State Senate. He’s authored a batch of bills that would make it harder for Wisconsinites to vote. He earned an 11% score on the Wisconsin Conservation Voters legislative scorecard from last session. Now with fairer maps for the first time in more than a decade, Duey will have to make his case to voters. This seat, like so many others that have become newly competitive in the general election, is on the path to flip in order to ensure Wisconsinites have a pro-environment and pro-democracy state government again.

Washington Ballot Initiative – I-2117 ✓ Defeated

Nominated by Washington Conservation Action Votes
This is the first time a ballot initiative has appeared on the Dirty Dozen in the States. But this measure is so dangerous that it merited this unprecedented step. I-2117 is one of the biggest attacks on clean energy in the country. Washington state is among those leading the nation in bold climate action thanks to a pro-environment legislature and climate champion Governor Jay Inslee. But this initiative would roll back key progress in this fight, prohibiting any state agencies from implementing a cap on pollution and repeal the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act – Washington’s landmark cap and invest program. I-2117 is opposed by a broad coalition of over 500 state organizations including firefighters, health advocates, labor unions, farmers, and a majority of the federally recognized Tribes in Washington who all support climate action, holding polluters accountable, and investing in the communities hardest hit by pollution and climate change. The outcome of the election will send a national signal for the possibilities – or limits – of state climate action.

Leach Photo: Gage Skidmore; Linthicum Photo: Gage Skidmore