Message from Carl Pope of the Sierra Club

Dear Sierra Club Supporter: Looking at yesterday's election results, I can say unequivocally that the environment won a resounding victory -- a victory that thousands of Sierra Club staff, volunteers, and supporters worked hard to achieve. America's voters made it clear that they want change and new leadership that will move our nation in a dramatically different direction. A big part of that demand for change is about enacting smart energy solutions that will decrease our dependence on oil, clean up our environment, curb global warming, and create jobs. And candidates at all levels heard the people. Never before have so many candidates -- of both parties -- run on energy issues or shown such commitment to the development of new energy sources, policies, and practices. Bottom line: Voters yesterday elected new local, state, and national leaders who are ready to take us forward. America elected a greener U.S. House, a greener U.S. Senate, several greener Governors, and gave a green light to move in the direction of a new energy future. Green candidates were elected at every level of government and in every region in the country. With so many wonderful victories for the environment, it's hard to recognize them all, but here are a few worth highlighting: Ted Strickland in Ohio was elected to replace Bob Taft as Governor. Strickland has a detailed strategy to move Ohio from the renewable energy 'hall of shame' to the head of the class. He plans to offer incentives to green manufacturers to create a regulatory environment that will attract new capital and new businesses to the state. Bill Ritter was elected Governor of Colorado. He will promote Colorado's unique homegrown blend of wind, solar, and agricultural energy supplies to put the state on the cutting edge of clean energy technology nationwide. Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum -- who voted against a sound energy policy, voted against renewable energy, and voted against protecting our children from dangerous mercury emissions -- was soundly defeated. Pennsylvania's new Senator-elect Bob Casey recognizes global warming as a real, immediate threat and supports federal action to solve the problem. In the House, new greener Members of Congress were elected in every region of the country. We have gained at least 20 new seats where an anti-environment incumbent was replaced by a green challenger. Finally, we had our biggest victory with the defeat of Richard Pombo in California. Sierra Club volunteers, myself included, were working right up to the last minute to turn out the vote for Jerry McNerney. Our ability to defeat an extreme anti-environmental incumbent, when no one else in the country believed the race to be in play, shows the power of these issues with voters and the power of the environmental movement in holding elected officials accountable. The Sacramento Bee reported this morning that even the ousted candidate recognized this fact: "Pombo ... has contended that whatever difficulties his reelection drive encountered had little to do with Iraq or Abramoff, and more to do with concerted efforts of environmental groups and other critics who targeted his race." Truthfully, the Sierra Club played a huge role in helping to shape this environmental majority -- from laying the initial groundwork against Pombo in the summer of 2005 to mobilizing our national grassroots network to educate their neighbors about these issues to encouraging folks to get out and vote. A big thanks to all of you who played a role in this wonderful day for the Sierra Club, for the environment, and for America. Carl Pope Executive Director