{"id":1159,"date":"2022-08-17T16:09:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T20:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/?p=1159"},"modified":"2022-08-17T19:05:30","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T23:05:30","slug":"statewide22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/statewide22\/","title":{"rendered":"For Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and U.S. Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"

Governor<\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

CARI is proud to endorse Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea in the 2022 race for Governor of Rhode Island. Of all the candidates, Gorbea offers the best combination of experienced leadership, progressive values, and the ability to get things done to meet the challenge of the climate crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

In our interview with Secretary Gorbea, she was crystal clear about the urgency of state action to meet the targets of the Act On Climate. The Act requires a 45% reduction in all of Rhode Island\u2019s fossil-fuel pollution by 2030\u2014a huge transformation to our energy system. Gorbea pointed out that when the Act passed in spring 2021, environmental advocates (including CARI) came together to write an <\/span>8-page memo to the governor<\/span><\/a> with a plan to implement the Act successfully with particular attention to the need for wide community input and environmental justice concerns. The incumbent Governor, although he has taken many positive actions on climate, did not respond to the memo. By contrast, Gorbea said she would have immediately adopted the memo\u2019s recommendations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gorbea has also emphasized that the energy transformation is not just one issue on a laundry list, but rather a fundamental issue that cuts across policy in many areas: transportation, housing, education, jobs, and the economy. <\/span>Gorbea\u2019s comprehensive 19-page climate plan<\/span><\/a> details her approach, which will factor climate action and environmental justice into every aspect of her governance. We encourage every climate voter to read Gorbea\u2019s plan!<\/span><\/p>\n

Gorbea\u2019s record of accomplishment as Secretary of State is impressive. She ran our state\u2019s elections efficiently and fairly, even during the pandemic challenge of 2020. She advocated effectively at the State House for increased voting access and lobbying reform. Finally, as a woman of color, she will break a color barrier in our governor\u2019s office and bring a long underrepresented perspective to bear on all of our state\u2019s challenges, which fall disproportionately on minority communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say a few words about the candidates that we chose not to endorse.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a rocky start, Governor McKee has developed a strong record on climate. He signed the Act On Climate into law, appointed climate champion Terry Gray to lead the DEM and EC4,\u00a0 increased the EC4\u2019s meeting frequency, signed the 100% Renewable Energy Standard into law, and authorized a huge procurement of up to 1000 Megawatts of new offshore wind capacity. We applaud these significant achievements. However, we felt the Governor offered less urgency and fewer specifics about the state\u2019s next steps on climate than Secretary Gorbea. We believe Gorbea will offer more dynamic leadership and even greater focus on an all-of-government approach to the energy transition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Secretary of State Matt Brown was CARI\u2019s endorsed candidate for governor in 2018. He speaks with more passion about the threat of climate change than any other candidate in the race. His organization, the RI Political Co-op, seeks an overhaul of state government in service of progressive goals\u2014goals which we support. However, in our opinion, the Co-op\u2019s tactics during the past two years have too often been divisive and hurtful to the climate movement. For example, they dishonestly attacked two of the Assembly\u2019s strongest climate champions\u2014Rep. Chris Blazejewski and Sen. Dawn Euer, whose multi-year coalition-building effort delivered the landmark Act On Climate law\u2014and even mounted primary challenges against them. We are also concerned that Brown\u2019s candidacy, polling in the single digits, has the potential to be a spoiler campaign for the most electable progressive in the race.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brown has rightly criticized Gorbea for accepting a campaign contribution from Democratic donor <\/span>Tonio Burgos<\/span><\/a>, whose lobbying firm still includes fossil-fuel clients on its roster. However, we accept her explanation that she has known Tonio personally through Democratic Latino political networks for decades and that his donation signifies no connection or expectation whatsoever between Gorbea and the fossil fuel industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

CARI did not receive questionnaire responses from candidates Daniel Luis Mu\u00f1oz and Helena Foulkes.<\/span><\/p>\n

We stand alongside Clean Water Action in endorsing Nellie Gorbea as the best choice for governor in the Rhode Island Democratic primary on Tuesday, September 13.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lieutenant Governor<\/span><\/h1>\n

Upon completion of our candidate interview and vetting process, Climate Action Rhode Island is taking the unusual step of endorsing two candidates in the race for Lieutenant Governor: Sen. Cynthia Mendes and Rep. Deb Ruggiero. Both were endorsed by CARI for their legislative races in 2020. Both would be strong climate champions, albeit in different ways, in the LG position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sen. Mendes has been a strong CARI ally, participating in protests against fossil fuel funders such as Chase Bank and speaking passionately at CARI events. As a State Senator, she has supported CARI-endorsed climate and environmental justice bills. Cynthia\u2019s engaging personality and willingness to take action, combined with her experience and policy ideas around environmental justice, have earned her an endorsement from CARI.<\/span><\/p>\n

CARI also endorses Rep. Deb Ruggiero, who has a proven track record of leadership in passing critically important climate legislation as a representative in the State House. As the lead sponsor of the 100% renewable electricity bill (passed in 2022) and a co-sponsor of the Act on Climate (passed in 2021)\u2014CARI\u2019s top priority bills each year\u2014Deb has an astute understanding of climate policy details and an ability to build consensus with legislators to pass climate legislation into law.<\/span><\/p>\n

You may be asking: okay, but which candidate should I vote for? Your decision may come down to what qualities you value most highly in the Lieutenant Governor position: bold public communication about the urgency of climate action with a focus on environmental justice, or policy experience and a track record of legislative accomplishment. As an organization, we value both.<\/span><\/p>\n

The incumbent, Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, did not respond to CARI\u2019s requests for an interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Congress, District 2<\/span><\/h1>\n

CARI enthusiastically endorses General Treasurer Seth Magaziner in the Democratic primary for Rhode Island\u2019s 2<\/span>nd<\/span> Congressional District.<\/span><\/p>\n

Action to address the climate crisis has been one of Treasurer Magaziner\u2019s top priorities. As Treasurer, Magaziner led the State Investment Commission to <\/span>cut our pension fund\u2019s fossil fuel investments<\/span><\/a> in half, and put us on track to be the first state to divest completely from fossil fuels, by 2030. He has also taken an active role in using Rhode Island\u2019s shareholder power to hold corporations <\/span>such as Archer Daniels Midland<\/span><\/a> accountable for their climate impact. Magaziner has advocated for reducing Rhode Island\u2019s carbon emissions\u2014testifying for 2021\u2019s Act on Climate\u2014and in support of the job creation, environmental justice, and energy transition policies of the Green New Deal. Last but not least, Magaziner <\/span>spearheaded the creation of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank<\/span><\/a>\u2014a public\/private funding stream for clean energy and energy efficiency that has been wildly successful. Since 2015, the RIIB has deployed over $700M in loans and grants across the state, creating over 17,000 jobs and over $150M in savings for local communities and businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Congress, Treasurer Magaziner will continue his work to create clean energy jobs that benefit Rhode Island\u2019s unionized workers, frontline communities, and our environment. While several of the Democratic candidates impressed us with excellent climate platforms, Magaziner\u2019s track record as a statewide elected official earned him CARI\u2019s endorsement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Magaziner’s strengths are even more apparent when contrasted with the record of so-called “moderate” Republican Allan Fung. Fung\u2019s support for climate-denying, election-denying Kevin McCarthy to become the next Speaker of the House is not moderate. Fung\u2019s public opposition to even the Joe Manchin compromise climate bill that President Biden signed into law is not moderate. His climate obstructionism is nothing new: in 2014, Fung opposed the Resilient Rhode Island Act\u2014a bill that merely set voluntary emission-reduction targets for our state. When it comes to preserving our climate and safeguarding our children\u2019s future, Allan Fung is not a moderate. Rhode Island must not send him to Washington.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

General Assembly, Providence Mayor, and Providence City Council<\/h2>\n

CARI’s five regional Politics Teams have also endorsed over 50 candidates for State Representative, State Senator, and Providence municipal elections. To see those endorsements, visit this page<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CARI is pleased to announce our endorsements of the candidates who we believe will have the most impact in fighting the climate crisis as Governor of Rhode Island, Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, and U.S. Congress District 2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":704,"featured_media":1160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/704"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1159\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/world.350.org\/rhodeisland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}