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ClimateHawksVoteWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

ClimateHawksVote
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

ClimateHawksVoteisasmallscale,grassrootsfunded
superPACfoundedin2013thatsupportscandidatesand
electedofficialswhomitidentifiesasmakingclimate
changeatoppriority.[1][2]

Contents
1History
2Electoralpolitics
3Scorecard
4Advisoryboard
5References
6Externallinks

ClimateHawksVote
Abbreviation

CHV

Formation

August22,2013

Founders

RLMiller,HunterCutting

Type

SuperPAC

Purpose

electoralpolitics

Headquarters California
Region

UnitedStates

Chair

RLMiller

Website

climatehawksvote.com
(http://climatehawksvote.com)

History
"Climatehawk"isatermoftenusedtodescribepeoplewhoworkforaggressivestepsregardingclimate
changeandcleanenergy.[3]Thegroupseeksoutthosepoliticianswhosupportpricingcarbon,endingthe
useofcoal,anddeployingrenewableenergy,particularlysolarandwindenergy.[4]
CofounderandchairRLMillerisanactivist,blogger,andchairoftheCaliforniaDemocraticParty's
environmentalcaucus.[1]TheotherfounderisHunterCutting,DirectorofStrategicCommunicationsat
ClimateNexus.[5]
ThegroupwasfoundedoutofMiller'sfrustrationthatpartsoftheDemocraticPartysupportfossilfuel.
Millerstatesthatwithintheparty,"Youdon'tspeakoutforrestrictingawoman'srighttochoose.Youdon't
speakoutfortheKochBrothers.Yetatthesametime,we'vegotplentyofpeoplewithintheDemocratic
Partywhothinkitisperfectlyokaytospeakoutinsupportofcoal."[4]MillerhascitedMontanaGovernor
BrianSchweitzer,"anopencheerleaderforcoal,"asamotivatingfactorinthecreationofthegroup.[2][4]

Electoralpolitics
ThegroupworkstosupportclimateorientedcandidatesinprimaryandgeneralelectionsfortheHouseand
Senatebyendorsingcandidates,engagingandeducatingvoters,andtrainingyoungerpeopletorunfor
office.[1][5]Thegroup'sstrategyincludesspeakingdirectlytovotersthroughknockingondoors,phone
banking,andholdingrallies.[2][4]AsasuperPAC,ClimateHawksVotecannotdonatetoorcoordinatewith
anycandidateorcampaign.[6]

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"We'reseekingtoelectleaderswillingtotakeonthegreatestchallengefacingthenextfewgenerationsof
humanity.ToomanyDemocraticpoliticiansconsiderclimatetobejustanotherissuebubblingbelowthe
surfaceoftoppriorities,andtoomanyDemocratsarewillingtoexcuseDemocraticpoliticianswhotout
theirstates'coalandoilresourcesaslongasthey'regoodonotherissues,"MillertoldTheHill.[1]
ClimateHawksVotedoesnotruleoutbackingRepublicans,butitfocusesonrankingDemocratssincethey
generallyshowmoreinterestinclimatechange.Thegroupis"notpartisan,buttheRepublicanPartyisso
deeplyentrenchedindenyingtheexistenceofclimatechangethatifaRepublicanclimatehawkwereto
emerge,wewouldlookhardataRepublican'swillingnesstobuckleadershipaswellastheRepublican's
positiononclimate,"Millersaid.[1][5]Supportwoulddependonnotjustnotdenyinghumancausedclimate
changebuthavingaviableplantodosomethingaboutit.[4]
In2014,thegroupmadeendorsementsin17races,andtheendorsedcandidateswonin11ofthosedespite
itbeingatoughyearforDemocrats.[7][8]Sen.BrianSchatzofHawaiiwasamongthoseendorsed.The
grouphasbeencreditedwithperhapsmakingthedifferenceinhisprimaryelectionvictory,whichhada
marginof1,769votes.[4]
AmongtheracesthatClimateHawksVotedidn'twinwasalongshotbidtohavePaulClementsunseat
FredUpton,chairoftheHouseCommitteeonEnergyandCommerce,afterClementsdidsurprisinglywell
inonepoll.[9]
ClimateHawksVoteisnotexpectingtomakeendorsementsforpresidentbeforesummerof2015,butthe
groupstatesithopestoseeSen.BernieSanders'"climate[and]solarsensibilitiesincorporatedintoany
presidentialdebate."[10]Thegrouphascalledforpresidentialleadershiponclimatebyrestrictingextraction
offossilfuelsonpublicland,particularlycoalfromthePowderRiverBasinofMontanaandWyoming.[11]

Scorecard
ClimateHawksVotegivesscorestomostDemocratsandIndependents(andafewRepublicans)inthe
HouseandSenatethatmeasuretheirclimateleadership.Ratherthanlookatvotes,thescoresmostheavily
weighpublicengagement,suchasappearancesatclimateevents,pressconferences,andspeeches.The
groupalsolooksatbillsauthoredorcosponsored,pressreleases,websites,andcongressionalcaucusesthat
thelegislatorshavejoined.[2][10]
Ratedonascaleof100to+100,thegroupconsiderseachmemberofCongresstobeaclimatehawk,a
"climateduck"(onewhoduckstheissue),ora"climatepeacock"(thosewhoareallshowbutnoaction).[12]
"Iwanttouse[thescorecard]toidentifytheclimatechampions,"saidMiller."Iwantedtocreateacertain
toughnessthatIthinkhasbeenmissingfromenvironmentalpolitics...ahardheaded,inittowinit
attitudewhenitcomestoclimatechange."[12]
Othergroupsproducesimilarenvironmentalscores,butClimateHawksVotefocusesonlyonclimate.[2]
ScoresfromgroupssuchastheLeagueofConservationVoterslookatvotesbutnotlegislators'intensityof
leadershiporengagementwiththepublic.ClimateHawksVotetriesto"lookatleadership,notjustvotes,"
saysMiller."Forexample,[Sen.]AmyKlobuchar[DMinn.]isapopularDemocratwithahighLCV
rating.Ipulledheruprandomly,andcomparedherwithSheldonWhitehouse[DR.I.],whoisourgold
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standardintheSenate.Thelasttimeshementionedclimate,atthetimeIdidthis[2013],wasin2008.A
lightbulbwentoffinmyhead:We'retrustingthemtovoteasablocbutthey'renotleadingonthisissue.
Weneedtomeasurepublicengagement."[6]
AnotherdifferencebetweenthescorecardsfromClimateHawksVoteandothergroupsisthatsomeothers
usequestionnaireresponsesfromcandidatesinmakingdecisions,whileClimateHawksVotelooksonlyat
publicactionsandstatements.Thegroupconsiderspublicstatementstohavegreateraccountability.[6]
Sen.BernieSanders'announcementofhispresidentialcandidacycoincidedwiththeClimateHawksVote's
releaseofitsfirstSenatescorecard,inwhichSanderswasthehighestratedsenatorinthejustcompleted
113thCongress.[10][13]ThisratingwasbasedinpartonhismarchingonclimatewithNewYorkersandhis
sponsorshipofbillsrankedasimportanttothegroup:theClimateProtectionActof2013toimposea
carbonpollutionfeeandtheResidentialEnergySavingsActof2013thatwouldhavemadeloanstostates
toproviderebatesforrooftopsolarsystems.[14][15]OthershighonthelistwereSchatz,Whitehouse,Ed
Markey,andBarbaraBoxer.Whitehousetoppedthepreliminarylistforthe114thCongress.[10][16]
Ontheotherhand,SenateleaderChuckSchumerwasgivenafairlylowscoreandcriticizedbythegroup
fornotconnectingclimatechangewithextremeeventssuchasHurricaneSandy.ElizabethWarrenscoreda
bithigherbutwascriticizedfornotmakingclimateacentralissueexceptforopposingtheKeystoneXL
Pipeline,leavingher23rdofthe48Democratsscoredinthe113thCongress.Shehasshownsignsof
movingupinthe114thCongress.[16][17][18]
AtthebottomoftheDemocratswereMarkWarner,JonTester,JoeDonnelly,HeidiHeitkamp,Joe
Manchin,andClaireMcCaskill.BobCasey,Jr.,didbetterthanthosebuttiedwithoneofthefew
Republicansscored,ChuckGrassley.[10][19]SevenDemocraticseatswerenotscoredinthe113thcongress:
MarkUdall,MaryLandrieu,CarlLevin,KayHagan,TimJohnson,JayRockefeller,andtheseatsharedby
MaxBaucusandJohnWalsh.[20]

Advisoryboard
ClimateHawksVote'sadvisoryboardincludes:[1][5]
VanJones,activist,formerlyWhiteHouseaideandcohostofCNN'sCrossfire
BillMcKibben,founderof350.org
TomMatzzie,CEOofEthicalElectric,formerlyWashingtondirectorofMoveon.org
BeckyBond,VicePresidentandPoliticalDirectorofCREDOMobile
JamesRucker,cofounderofColorofChange
JigarShah,CEOofCarbonWarRoom
DarcyBurner,CEOofTerraHeating,activist,andpastcongressionalcandidate

References
1. Geman,Ben(20130825)."Climate'hawks'hatchsuperPACaheadof2014races"
(http://thehill.com/policy/energyenvironment/318667climatehawkshatchsuperpacaheadof2014races).The
Hill(Washington,D.C.:NewsCommunications).Retrieved20150405.
2. LoftusFarren,Zoe(20141103)."ClimateHawksVoteSwoopsontotheElectionScene"
(http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/climate_hawks_vote_swoops_onto_the_election_sce
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_Hawks_Vote

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9.

10.
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12.
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15.

ClimateHawksVoteWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

ne/).EarthIslandJournal(Berkeley,CA).Retrieved20150405.
Someexamplesofnewsarticlesthatmakeprominentusesofthetermare
Roberts,David(20101021)."Introducingclimatehawks"(http://grist.org/article/20101020
introducingclimatehawks/).Grist(Seattle,WA).Retrieved20150501.
Sheppard,Kate(20121108)."5ClimateHawksWhoWononTuesday"
(http://www.motherjones.com/bluemarble/2012/11?page=4).MotherJones(SanFrancisco:Foundationfor
NationalProgress).Retrieved20150501.
Johnson,Brad(20111215)."VIDEO:ClimateHawksWhitehouseAndFrankenHoldClimateCrisis
Colloquy"(http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/12/15/390202/videoclimatehawkswhitehouseand
frankenholdclimatecrisiscolloquy/).ClimateProgress(Washington,D.C.:CenterforAmerican
Progress).Retrieved20150501.
Snyder,JimPenty,Rebecca(20130125)."KeystonesFateShiftstoClimateHawkKerry"
(http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/20130125/keystonepipelinefateshiftstoclimatehawk
kerry).BloombergBusiness(NewYork,NY).Retrieved20150501.
Bagley,Katherine(20140820)."Q&A:HowaSuperPAConaShoestringIsTakingonCongress'Climate
Apathy"(http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20140820/qahowsuperpacshoestringtakingcongressclimate
apathy).InsideClimateNews(Brooklyn,NewYork).Retrieved20150405.
"ClimateChangeGetsaSuperPAC"(http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25158).
SustainableBusiness(Huntington,NY).20130826.Retrieved20150405.
Adler,Ben(20140623)."NowclimatehawkshavetheirownsuperPAC"(http://grist.org/politics/nowclimate
hawkshavetheirownsuperpac/).Grist(Seattle,WA).Retrieved20150405.
Bagley,Katherine(20141105)."Q&A:EnvironmentalistsMostlyCountingElectionLossesDespite$85
MillionOutlay"(http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141105/environmentalistsmostlycountingelectionlosses
despite85millionoutlay).InsideClimateNews(Brooklyn,NewYork).Retrieved20150503.
Miller,RL(20141122)."Wewon!ThefinaltallyforClimateHawksVote's2014races"
(http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/22/1346513/WewonThefinaltallyforClimateHawksVotes2014
races).DailyKos.Retrieved20150503.
ClimateHawksVoteinvolvementintheUptonracewascoveredinthesenewsarticles:
Bagley,Katherine(20141103)."ClimateHawkGivesUnbeatableFredUptonaRunforHisOilIndustry
Money"(http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20141103/climatehawkgivesunbeatablefreduptonrunhis
oilindustrymoney).InsideClimateNews(Brooklyn,NewYork).Retrieved20150405.
Roberts,David(20141031)."IsthisHouseRepublicanabouttolosetoaclimatehawk?"
(http://grist.org/politics/isthishouserepublicanabouttolosetoaclimatehawk/).Grist(Seattle,WA).
Retrieved20150405.
Restuccia,Andrew(20140903)."LCVoutwithnewMichiganSenateadCellulosicethanolplant
openingRepublicansprobingNRDCinfluence"
(http://www.politico.com/morningenergy/0914/morningenergy15157.html).Politico(Washington,D.C.:
CapitolNewsCompany).Retrieved20150405.
Sheppard,Kate(20150429)."ProspectivePresidentialCandidateBernieSandersScoresHighInNew'Climate
Hawk'Ranking"(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/29/berniesandersclimatechange
senate_n_7175314.html).TheHuffingtonPost(NewYork,NY:AOL).Retrieved20150430.
Adler,Ben(20150507)."HereshowBernieSanders,thegreenestpresidentialcandidate,couldgeteven
greener"(http://grist.org/politics/hereshowthegreenestpresidentialcandidateberniesanderscouldgeteven
greener/).Grist(Seattle,WA).Retrieved20150508.
DeLeon,Josh(20140723)."ClimateHawksHaveANewWeaponAgainstClimateDeniers"
(http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2014/07/climatehawkshaveanewweaponagainstclimatedeniers/).Ringof
Fire.Retrieved20150405.
Roberts,David(20150505)."CanBernieSanderspushClintonleftonclimate?"
(http://www.vox.com/2015/5/5/8555001/sandersclintonclimate).VoxMedia(Washington,D.C.).Retrieved
20150506.
Colman,Zack(20150430)."GreengroupsgettheirmaninBernieSanders"
(http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/greengroupsgettheirmaninberniesanders/article/2563803).
WashingtonExaminer.Retrieved20150430.
Leber,Rebecca(20150430)."BernieSandersIsaBetterEnvironmentalistThanElizabethWarren"

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16.
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19.
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ClimateHawksVoteWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

(http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121676/berniesandersbetterenvironmentalistelizabethwarren).TheNew
Republic(Washington,D.C.).Retrieved20150430.
Geiling,Natasha(20150430)."SenatorsLikeElizabethWarrenArentLeadingOnClimateChange,Report
Says"(http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/30/3653132/climatehawkreport114congress/).Climate
Progress(Washington,D.C.:CenterforAmericanProgress).Retrieved20150430.
Moskowitz,Peter(20150429)."ElizabethWarrenandotherDemocratsfailingonclimatechange,reportclaims"
(http://www.theguardian.com/usnews/2015/apr/29/elizabethwarrendemocratsclimatechangereport?
utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it).TheGuardian(London).Retrieved20150430.
Adler,Ben(20150509)."IsElizabethWarrenaprogressiveleaderonclimatechange?"
(http://grist.org/politics/iselizabethwarrenaprogressiveleaderonclimatechange/).Grist(Seattle,WA).
Retrieved20150518.
Feld,Lowell(20150430)."New'ClimateHawksVote'ScorecardRanksMarkWarnerNeartheBottomTim
KaineSomewhatBetter"(http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/13234/newclimatehawksvotescorecardputsmark
warnernearthebottomtimkainesomewhatbetter).BlueVirginia.Retrieved20150503.
"ClimateHawksVoteChooseState"(http://www.climatehawksvote.com/choose_state).ClimateHawksVote.
20150430.Retrieved20150527.

Externallinks
ClimateHawksVotewebpage(http://www.climatehawksvote.com/)
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