Elected Democrats Have Embraced ‘Climate Hushing.’ Are They Making a Mistake as the Midterms Loom?

Elected Democrats have significantly reduced their public mentions of climate change, according to an Inside Climate News analysis of congressional press releases. This shift, observed in the lead-up to the midterms, sees a pivot towards emphasizing energy affordability as a primary message. For instance, in the first half of 2023, only 17% of Democratic press releases mentioned climate change, a stark contrast to the 45% seen in the same period of 2021. The analysis, which examined over 2,000 press releases from House and Senate Democrats, found that the term "climate change" appeared in fewer than 10% of releases in the latter half of 2023. Instead, Democrats are increasingly highlighting issues like lower gas prices and the economic benefits of energy production. This strategic recalibration is occurring despite a backdrop of escalating climate-related disasters, such as the record-breaking heatwaves in the Southwest and the devastating wildfires in Canada during 2023. Political strategists suggest that the party is attempting to appeal to a broader electorate by focusing on kitchen-table economic issues, a tactic that may be influenced by concerns over voter engagement with environmental policy. The Inside Climate News investigation also noted that when climate change is mentioned, it is often framed within the context of economic opportunity, such as job creation in clean energy sectors, rather than as an urgent existential threat. This approach aims to connect climate action to tangible economic benefits for constituents.