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AP Interview: Sierra Club investing heavily in state races

 

Samantha Young
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, June 21, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Sierra Club plans to shift millions in campaign cash from Congressional races to state and local campaigns this fall, a sign from the nation's oldest and largest environmental group that Washington is becoming less relevant to its cause.

In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope said his group is dedicating about a third of its anticipated $5 million to $10 million campaign fund to competitive state races this year. In past years, it has invested only 5 percent of its political money in state legislative campaigns.

"We are putting 10 times as much energy into state races," Pope said. "We've never made that national investment in state races before."

With partisan Washington deadlocked over most environmental issues, state governments nationwide have been taking a lead role on initiatives ranging from global warming to fuel economy standards. Despite Democrats' hopes to gain seats in the House and Senate, most political observers think the climate in Washington is unlikely to change.

"Whatever happens this fall, Washington is still going to be paralyzed," Pope said. "This pattern of state and local leadership is going to continue environmentally."

In California, Pope credited Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for supporting legislation that would set caps on greenhouse gases - setting himself in sharp contrast to the Bush administration, which has opposed such efforts.

While complimentary of Schwarzenegger, Pope said the San Francisco-based Sierra Club is endorsing Democratic challenger Phil Angelides. Schwarzenegger declined to take part in the group's endorsement process, Pope said.

One of the Sierra Club's top targets on the national map is Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, who has drawn the ire of environmental groups. As chairman of the House Resources Committee, Pombo has advocated weakening protections in the Endangered Species Act and allowing oil and gas drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf.

The Sierra Club will spend "hundreds of thousands of dollars" in an effort to defeat Pombo this fall, targeting newcomers to the fast-growing conservative district east of the San Francisco Bay area. His opponent is Democrat Jerry McNerney, who lost to Pombo in 2004.

"We've been trying to identify people who are mainstream Republicans and independents ... who just don't find Pombo their cup of tea," Pope said.

Pombo spokesman Wayne Johnson said voters were not swayed by environmental attack ads in this month's primary, when Pombo defeated former Rep. Pete McCloskey.

"If they want to continue to spend their money, it's a free society," Johnson said. "The accusations they make don't hold any water."

The Sierra Club also plans to make a big investment in Rhode Island's Senate Republican primary, where they are supporting incumbent Lincoln Chafee over Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey.

In Pennsylvania's Senate race, the group is backing Democrat Bob Casey over Republican incumbent Rick Santorum.

"Our real goal is deny Republicans effective control of the House floor and the Senate floor and we're very close," Pope said. "If we can pick up five to 10 House seats then effectively they can't move anything on the House floor that we don't like."