Climate Hawks Vote launched in June 2014 with the goal of electing candidates who grasp the magnitude of the climate crisis. The fall 2014 elections would be our first test of an explicitly political grassroots climate organization. Could we turn out voters on a shoestring through fieldwork alone? Short answer: yes, by a lot.
Our endorsed candidate Paul Clements released a poll 6 days before the election showing him down by only 4 points against Fred Upton, with Upton’s support falling 10 points in a month. Given Upton’s prominent position as the chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and the fact that we were the only climate/environmental group on the ground in Michigan's Sixth District, we put all the resources we could muster into the Benton Harbor area of Berrien County during those last few days.
No spin - Clements lost.
At the same time, we - and I’m pretty sure it was only Climate Hawks Vote - increased voter turnout among Democrats in six precincts by nearly 40%. Not a typo.
More below the fold.