Tom Steyer Claims Success In Very Expensive Effort To Make Climate Change A 'Wedge Issue'
WASHINGTON -- Tom Steyer's climate-focused electoral efforts came up with mixed results Tuesday, but the billionaire environmentalist and former hedge fund manager said he has no buyer's remorse.
"I think it was money incredibly well spent. The fact of the matter is, we think this is the big issue facing the United States and the world," said Steyer in an interview Tuesday, hours after Republicans routed Democrats in midterm elections around the country. "I am not regretting a dime."
Steyer spent more than $74 million this election cycle in an effort to elect proponents of action on climate change. His political action committee, NextGen Climate Action, targeted its efforts in seven states: the Senate races in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan and Colorado, and the governor's races in Maine, Florida and Pennsylvania. Each race pitted a champion of action on climate change against a candidate who has denied that human activity is driving rising temperatures.
The goal, NextGen chief strategist Chris Lehane said at a press event in May, was to make 2014 "a pivot year for climate, the year we can demonstrate that you can use climate change as a wedge issue to win in political races."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/05/steyer-climate-election_n_6104858.html
