By May Boeve (Executive Director, 350 Action and 350.org) and Bill McKibben (co-founder, 350 Action and 350.org)
It’s 2018, and it’s time for a bold shift. We can’t just play defense against Trump’s attacks on our communities and our climate — we need to act to secure bold leaders at every level of government that will fight for a world that science and justice demand.
In this critical election year, 350 Action will be endorsing climate progressives running in key races across the country and up and down the ballot — leaders who share our bold vision of a just and equitable world, including a rapid transition to 100% renewable energy and a stop to all new climate-wrecking fossil fuel projects.
That’s why we’re excited to share some big news with you. 350 Action just endorsed our first candidates of 2018: Deb Haaland, Democrat for Congress in New Mexico’s 1st District and Ben Jealous, Democrat for Governor of Maryland.
Deb Haaland and Ben Jealous are progressive climate champions who are ready to listen to the grassroots and lead the fight for a fossil free world where all of our communities can thrive.
- Deb Haaland would be the first Native American woman in Congress, joined the water protectors at Standing Rock, and has led the charge to block fracking in Chaco Canyon, homeland of her ancestors.
- Ben Jealous is a civil rights leader and was the youngest-ever CEO of the NAACP, where he helped launch their climate justice program. He sat in with #NoDAPL activists in DC and was one of the first national figures to speak out against Keystone XL.
But both of them are running in tight primary races against less progressive Democrats who aren’t the champions this moment demands — so they’ll need support from our movement to win. That’s where you come in.
Our plans for this election year are ambitious, but this moment demands nothing less.
This isn’t only about winning a few key races — it’s about changing a culture of climate denial and ignorance and building an unstoppable movement with the political power we need. So let’s get to work.
There are two more small ways you can take action today to help elect climate progressives like Deb Haaland and Ben Jealous:
- Help spread the word and show that our movement stands with these progressive champions by sharing this post on Facebook or retweeting this tweet to build the momentum.
- Make a donation to 350 Action to help us fight for bold progressive leaders our climate and our communities can count on in this critical election year.