OGDEN, Utah (AP) – Republican and Democratic candidates vying for Mitt Romney’s vacated U.S. Senate seat said Thursday they have a better blueprint for tackling climate change and protecting the state’s vast natural resources. He tried to convince Utah voters that he was.
Republican Rep. John Curtis, who leads the Conservative climate change caucus at the Capitol, was a climate change activist who tried to undermine Curtis’ credentials as a climate-focused lawmaker during the debate. Confronted by a mountaineer.
“We’ve heard from young people who have debilitating anxiety about the future of our planet,” said Democrat Caroline Gleich. “I’m an environmental advocate, so I’m all about reducing, reusing and recycling, but we can’t keep recycling the same old politicians and expect them to get us out of this mess.”
Mr. Gleich, 38, is an underdog in a deep red state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1970. Utah voters typically support moderate Republicans like Romney and Curtis in statewide elections.
The winner in November will succeed one of Washington’s most prominent centrists and an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump. Mr. Romney reiterated this week that he would not vote for Mr. Trump, but he joined a group of big-name Republicans, including former Rep. Liz Cheney and other Trump aides, who have publicly supported Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. refused to participate.
The outgoing senator said he believes the party may need to rebuild after this election cycle and wants to maintain a voice within the party.
Mr. Curtis, 64, has been compared to Mr. Romney for his aggressive stance against Mr. Trump and members of his own party who falsely claim that climate change is a hoax.
In June’s Republican primary, Mr. Curtis emerged from a crowded field of candidates and defeated the Trump-supporting mayor. Before Trump became the Republican nominee, Curtis pledged to support the eventual Republican nominee, but he has not expressed any real support for the former president.
In western states where residents value outdoor recreation, air quality and access to water, both Curtis and Gleich see the environment as a winning issue, but with different approaches.
Mr. Curtis is the longest-serving member of Utah’s House of Representatives. His seven years on Capitol Hill have been marked by efforts to bring conservatives to the table on issues that have historically been dominated by Democrats. He laid out a Republican approach to climate policy, saying the goal is to reduce emissions without hurting American jobs or economic principles.
He explained Thursday how his market-based approach applies to Utah’s water problems.
The Great Salt Lake is shrinking primarily due to climate change and human use, primarily water diversion for agricultural use. Exposed lake beds contain toxic minerals that can degrade air quality and threaten public health.
The congressman said he wants to continue supporting the state’s agricultural industry and help industry leaders understand how they can make small changes to be part of a larger solution.
“The combination of the private sector not demonizing agriculture and leveraging Utah’s innovations can help solve this problem in a way that helps us grow and prosper,” Curtis said.
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Opponents said they would accelerate water conservation efforts in the West and encourage lawmakers to consider the region’s water a finite resource.
Mr. Curtis was supported in the primary by some prominent environmental interest groups, including EDF Action, an advocacy partner of the Environmental Defense Fund, which has almost always supported Democrats.
Mr. Gleich brought in environmental groups he had previously worked with to lobby lawmakers, including Mr. Curtis, the Conservation League Voter Action Fund and Protect Our Winters.
Still, the lawmaker enjoys broad support from the state’s coal, oil and gas heartland. He is calling on lawmakers to not eliminate the fossil fuel industry, the economic engine of his district, as part of an affordable, clean energy future. He argues that the U.S. can meet its emissions reduction goals while still using some natural gas, which emits less carbon dioxide when burned than other fossil fuels.
Mr. Gleich has accused Mr. Curtis of pandering to the fossil fuel industry and criticized him for voting against climate-change-centered proposals from Democrats, including the Anti-Inflation Act. If elected, Democrats said they would support phasing out federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and promote investment in electric vehicle infrastructure.
