Senate 2022: North Carolina

An anti-environmentalist is favored but the challenger has a fighting chance.

The Senate race in North Carolina may be a bit of a stretch for Democrats, but it’s not out of reach. The contrast between the candidates on environmental issues is particularly stark.

Cheri Beasley (D).  Her website describes her as “a mom, former public defender, judge, and the first Black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.” Her website has a tab on climate change. She makes her support for climate action clear. It also links that support to the ways in which climate change is already harming the state:

“Cheri believes that tackling the climate crisis is imperative to our health, economy, and security, and the consequences of inaction are already hurting the people of our state. Longer and more damaging hurricane seasons and extreme weather events shut down roads, cause utility prices to skyrocket, damages our military bases and grind local businesses to a halt. In the past several years alone, North Carolina has experienced multiple devastating hurricanes and storms that have left us with enormous economic damage.”

She also emphasizes the economic benefits of climate action: “Cheri supports investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, expanding our renewable energy industry and ensuring that workers across North Carolina receive the training they need for clean energy jobs.”

Ted Budd (R). Ted Budd’s website describes him as a family man, small businessman, and “liberal agenda crusher.” Budd, who has been in Congress for five years, has an LCV score of 3%, meaning an almost unbroken record of opposition to environmental measures.  His general view of regulation is pretty clear:

“From the Green New Deal to Build Back Better, radical progressives are committed to implementing a costly socialist agenda that would break the free market system and eliminate the American Dream. Ted knows government is not the solution to every problem because everyday, hard-working people get stuck with the bill for big-spending, debt-creating socialist ideas.

His congressional website touts his support for the Build More Pipelines Act and the Unleash American Drilling Act.

2022 Senate race, Climate Politics, environmental politics