The November 2nd “mid-term” elections for the U.S. Congress resulted in a stunning change of power and ideology that dashes any hope for U.S. action on climate change for the foreseeable future. In fact, denial of basic science now appears to be a litmus test for U.S. political candidates. While most attention has been focused on the national outcome, the long-term consequences of this election may be most strongly determined by the results of the local and state elections where a similar shift of ideology occurred.
As I attempt to examine the consequences of this election, I will often turn to information collected and presented by others. The summary below, by Scott Keyes, was published on the Think Progress site (a liberal blog) based on a September survey of Republican candidates conducted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
“REPORT: Meet The 2010 GOP Freshman Class
Following last night’s election, over 100 freshmen Republicans will take their seats in the 112th Congress. These GOPers come from disparate backgrounds, but they are united by their adherence to the extreme wing of conservative ideology.
A new ThinkProgress investigation has found that the incoming GOP freshman class is rife with legislators who not only oppose climate change legislation, but deny that manmade global warming even exists. They are pushing not just to end birthright citizenship, but also demand that the United States reduce the number of legal immigrants.
Here is a snapshot of the GOP Class of 2010’s extremism:
ENVIRONMENT
– 50% deny the existence of manmade climate change
– 86% are opposed to any climate change legislation that increases government revenueIMMIGRATION
– 39% have already declared their intention to end the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship
– 32% want to reduce legal immigrationTAXES/SPENDING
– 91% have sworn to never allow an income tax increase on any individual or business – regardless of deficits or war
– 79% have pledged to permanently repeal the estate tax
– 48% are pushing for a balanced budget amendmentThis is where individual incoming GOP freshmen stand on each issue:
Key
GW: Global warming denier
CC: No climate change legislationBC: End birthright citizenship
RI: Reduce legal immigrationTP: No tax increase pledge
ET: Repeal estate taxBB: Balanced budget amendment
Martha Roby (AL-02) CC TP ET
Mo Brooks (AL-05) GW CC TP ETJoe Miller* (AK-SEN) GW CC TP ET BB
Paul Gosar (AZ-01) CC BC RI TPBen Quayle (AZ-03) GW CC BC TP ET
David Schweikert (AZ-05) CC BC RI TPET BBRuth McClung* (AZ-07) GW CC ET BB
Jesse Kelly* (AZ-08) GW CC BC RI TP ETBBRick Crawford (AR-01) CC TP ET
Tim Griffin (AR-02) CC BC RI TP ETSteve Womack (AR-03) CC BC RI TP
John Boozman (AR-SEN) GW CC BC RI TPET BBDavid Harmer* (CA-11) GW CC TP ET
Jeff Denham (CA-19) GW CC TPAndy Vidak (CA-20) GW TP ET
Scott Tipton (CO-03) CC TP ETCory Gardner (CO-04) GW CC TP BB
Steve Southerland (FL-02) CC BC RI TPET BBRich Nugent (FL-05) CC BC RI TP ET BB
Daniel Webster (FL-08) CC BC RI TP ETDennis Ross (FL-12) CC BC RI TP ET BB
Allen West (FL-22) GW BC RI ETSandy Adams (FL-24) CC BC RI TP ETBB
David Rivera (FL-25) CC TP ETMarco Rubio (FL-SEN) GW CC TP ET BB
Rob Woodall (GA-07) BC RIAustin Scott (GA-08) CC BC RI TP ET
Raul Labrador (ID-01) CC RI TP ET BBJoe Walsh* (IL-08) GW CC TP BB
Robert Dold (IL-10) GW CC TPAdam Kinzinger (IL-11) CC TP
Randy Hultgren (IL-14) GW CC TP ET BBBobby Schilling (IL-17) GW CC BC TPET BB
Mark Kirk (IL-SEN) CCMarlin Stutzman (IN-03) CC TP ET BB
Todd Rokita (IN-04) GW CC TP ETLarry Bucshon (IN-08) GW CC TP ET BB
Todd Young (IN-09) GW CC TP BBDan Coats (IN-SEN) GW CC TP ET BB
Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) GW CC BC RI TPETKevin Yoder (KS-03) ET
Mike Pompeo (KS-04) CC TP ETJerry Moran (KS-SEN) GW CC BC RI TP
Rand Paul (KY-SEN) GW CC BC TP ET BBJeff Landry (LA-03) CC TP BB
Andy Harris (MD-01) CC BC RI TP ET BBDan Benishek (MI-01) CC BC RI TP ETBB
Bill Huizenga (MI-02) GW CC TP ETJustin Amash (MI-03) CC TP ET BB
Tim Walberg (MI-07) GW CC BC RI TP ETBBChip Cravaack (MN-08) GW TP ET BB
Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) GW CC BC TPET
Billy Long (MO-07) CC ETRoy Blunt (MO-SEN) GW CC BC RI TP ET
Alan Nunnelee (MS-01) CC BC RI TP ETBBSteven Palazzo (MS-04) CC BC RI TP ETBB
Renee Ellmers (NC-02) TP ET BBRick Berg (ND-AL) CC TP ET
John Hoeven (ND-SEN) GWFrank Guinta (NH-01) CC TP ET BB
Charlie Bass (NH-02) GW CC BC TPKelly Ayotte (NH-SEN) GW CC TP ET BB
Jon Runyan (NJ-03) CC ET BBJoe Heck (NV-03) CC BC RI TP ET
Steve Pearce (NM-02) GW CC BC TP ETMike Grimm (NY-13) GW CC TP ET BB
Nan Hayworth (NY-19) GW CC TP ET BBChris Gibson (NY-20) CC TP
Richard Hanna (NY-24) ETAnne Marie Buerkle* (NY-25) GW CCTP ET BB
Tom Reed (NY-29) CC TP ETSteve Chabot (OH-01) GW CC TP ET BB
Bill Johnson (OH-06) CC TP ETSteve Stivers (OH-15) GW CC TP ET
Jim Renacci (OH-16) CC TP ET BBBob Gibbs (OH-18) GW CC BC RI TP ETBB
Rob Portman (OH-SEN) TPJames Lankford (OK-05) GW CC BC TPET
Mike Kelly (PA-03) CC TP ETPat Meehan (PA-07) CC TP ET
Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) CC TP ETTom Marino (PA-10) CC BC RI TPET BB
Lou Barletta (PA-11) CC BC RI TPETPat Toomey (PA-SEN) GW TPET
Tim Scott (SC-01) CC TPET BBJeff Duncan (SC-03) BC RI TP
Trey Gowdy (SC-04) GW CC TP ET BBMick Mulvaney (SC-05) GW CC TP ETBB
Kristi Noem (SD-AL) GW CC TP ETChuck Fleischman (TN-03) BC RI TP ET
Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) CC BC RI TP ETBBDiane Black (TN-06) GW CC BC RI TP ET
Stephen Fincher (TN-08) CC TP ETBill Flores (TX-17) CC BC RI TP ET BB
Francisco Canseco (TX-23) CC TPBlake Farenthold (TX-27) GW BB
Mike Lee (UT-SEN) CC BC TP ET BBScott Rigell (VA-02) GW CC BC RI TP
Robert Hurt (VA-05) GW CC TP ETMorgan Griffith (VA-09) GW CC TP ET
Keith Fimian* (VA-11) GW CC TP ET BBJohn Koster* (WA-02) GW CC BC RI TPET BB
Jamie Herrera (WA-03) CC TP ET
Dick Muri* (WA-09)GWTPBB
Dino Rossi* (WA-SEN)GWTPETBBSean Duffy (WI-07) CC TP ET
Reid Ribble (WI-08) CC TP ETRon Johnson (WI-SEN) GW CC TP ET BB
David McKinley (WV-01) GW CC BC RITP ET BB*- These races are currently too close to call.”
(List edited to update two races in Washington State.)
