California Senate race

Barbara Boxer, three-term senator and co-author of the now inert Kerry-Boxer climate and energy bill, is struggling to maintain a narrow lead over three Republican challengers — former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, and former Rep. Tom Campbell. Boxer, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, has long been an outspoken advocate for the environment, working to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, protect wilderness, and promote clean energy and climate action. In contrast, Fiorina has pushed for offshore drilling and pussyfooted around whether climate change is a real problem, while DeVore has bashed cap-and-trade as a job-killing scheme. Campbell, for his part, has said he believes California’s landmark climate law, AB 32, can be implemented without harming the state’s economy, though he believes it should be done through a carbon tax rather than a cap-and-trade system. A June 8 primary will determine who wins the Republican nomination. In a normal election year, Boxer might be considered safe for reelection, but this year she knows she’ll have to fight hard to fend off GOP competition.