After the 2016 elections, Clean Water Action put a renewed effort into organizing communities with an eye toward electing a pro-environment majority in Congress in 2018. Staff identified districts ripe for change in several states, prioritizing 15 Congressional districts in Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Clean Water also focused on defending several senators, ensuring state legislatures across the country were led by clean water champions, and winning several gubernatorial races.
As part of a $2.5 million national election effort, Clean Water Action helped create a green wave in Pennsylvania that elected a slate of candidates who’ll chart new paths for the environment in Washington D.C. and Harrisburg.
"Person to person conversations are the best way to move the needle and motivate people to be clean water voters -- canvassing wins elections," said Bob Wendelgass, President and CEO of Clean Water Action. "We have relied on door to door canvassing to elect clean water leaders and win important policies for more than 30 years. We knew the only way to respond to the 2016 elections was to redouble our efforts, identify districts we could flip and candidates we could support, and build the people power to win elections through our field teams."
Statewide, the organization's robust field operations brought dozens of professional canvassers into neighborhoods throughout four targeted districts - knocking on more than 220,000 doors across New Jersey and mobilizing tens of thousands of voters to the polls.
Pittsburgh -- Campaign finance reports filed last week with the Pennsylvania Department of State show oil and gas companies making substantial campaign donations to prop up three Republican State House and State Senate candidates running in hotly contested races in the North Hills.
Join us on Thursday, December 13th for an evening of fun to support Clean Water's campaigns to protect Minnesota’s water, environment, and health. Enjoy drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and the opportunity to win great raffle prizes!
We're thrilled Barbara Helmick is the first recipient of the David Zwick Award. It's fitting -- Barbara changed the way that advocates organize communities.
Clean Water Action is proud to support Katie Porter and Harley Rouda for Congress. Both candidates are in Orange County; Porter and Rouda are running in Congressional District 45 and 48, respectively.
“We are enthusiastic about endorsing Katie Porter and Harley Rouda,” said Dan Howells, State Director for Clean Water Action California. “Both candidates share our commitment to stopping offshore drilling, investing in renewable energy development and championing the environmental protections that will keep our water clean.”
Clean Water Action has endorsed Representatives Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly for re-election, and also endorsed Jennifer Wexton, who is challenging anti-environment incumbent Barbara Comstock.
“Clean Water Action is proud to endorse California’s Proposition 3,” said Dan Howells, State Director for Clean Water Action California. Proposition 3 will enable a variety of programs that align with Clean Water Action California’s goal of ensuring our state has sustainable, safe water sources for all.