Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee jumped into the 2020 White House race Friday — and his longshot candidacy will test a big question: whether there's a political opening for someone who puts climate change at the heart of their campaign.
Why it matters: Global warming has long been a second-tier topic in national elections, but Inslee's candidacy could change that if he somehow gains traction in the crowded Democratic field or pushes higher-profile candidates to emphasize climate topics even more.
- "We’re the first generation to feel the sting of climate change. And we’re the last who can do something about it," Inslee said in a launch video this morning that emphasizes jobs and his decades of work on the topic.
Details: Inslee hasn't announced a lot of policy specifics yet, though one noteworthy thing is that he wants to kill the Senate filibuster. According to his campaign, Inslee's "climate mission" will rest on 4 big themes:
- Accelerate a transition to "100% clean energy" and net-zero emissions with plans targeting electricity, transportation, buildings, industry and agriculture.
- Creating "millions of good-paying jobs over the next 10 years" via investments in modern infrastructure and much more.
- "Fighting for environmental justice and economic inclusion," including work with low-income, indigenous and communities of color.
- "Ending fossil fuel giveaways" and moving away from fossil fuels while "protecting workers and diversifying the local economies that depend on them today."
The state of play: The case for Inslee's climate-focused candidacy is stronger than ever in some ways.
- That's partly thanks to a spate of recent reports — notably a major UN scientific study last fall — on the risks of global warming, and partly because of aggressive White House efforts to dismantle federal climate policies.
- Also, other than perhaps Bernie Sanders, none of the candidates has made global warming and clean energy a focus of their careers like Inslee, who served in the House from the 1990s until running for governor in 2012.
Yes, but: Democratic strategist Adrienne Elrod said a campaign built around climate change may not create a wide enough "lane" and constituency.
- "That’s not necessarily a reliable enough path because every Democratic candidate who is seriously running and is a top-tier contender is going to address climate change," said Elrod, who headed strategic communications for Hillary Clinton's 2016 run.
- Several high-profile candidates have been talking about the issue on the stump amid energy on the left around the Green New Deal, which is already backed by a half-dozen candidates.
- "The urgency of the moment and banging on that drum I think is critically important right now," Elizabeth Warren recently told the popular liberal podcast Pod Save America.
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