A spin through the endorsements from big environmental groups this year reveals an overwhelming number of successes. Both Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters will probably be sleeping contentedly tonight.
Sheldon Whitehouse’s win in Rhode Island will be pertinent to Dems taking control of the Senate — or at least breaking even. Both LCV and the Sierra Club endorsed Lincoln Chafee in that race.
In Connecticut, the LCV endorsed the triumphant Democrat-turned-Independent Joe Lieberman over Democrat-still-Democrat Ned Lamont, while Sierra Club simply abstained on the matter. What happens when Lieberman hits the Senate floor remains to be seen, but he’s said he will caucus with the Dems, at least in name.
The LCV can definitely whoop it up for the unseating of at least eight of the Dirty Dozen. New Mexico’s 1st District race remains up in the air, and may for a few more days. But if Democrat Patricia Madrid emerges on top of Republican Rep. Heather Wilson, the LCV can claim another Dirty Dozen member cleaned out of office.
In Ohio’s 15th District, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce, another Dirty Dozen member, has declared victory over Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy, but it looks like Kilroy is waiting it out ’til the last 10,000 votes are counted. Could mean another possible pick up for the Dems and the environment, as would a final call down in Virginia, where unseating Senator George Allen could bring the ranks of remaining Dirty Dozeners down to a Dirty Two — Henry Cuellar in Texas’s 28th and Dan Boren in Oklahoma’s 2nd.
And in a charming duel in New York’s 19th District, voters selected Democrat John Hall (best known for penning the pop song “Still the One“), who received the Sierra Club endorsement, over incumbent Republican Sue Kelly, who was endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters.
So, uh, well, we’re still having fun.
