Muckraker: Grist on Politics

The Sierra Club began running radio ads this week in six states whose U.S. senators are key votes for energy legislation. Though both Republicans and Democrats were hoping to have accomplished something so they could go home for the holiday and claim victory, Congress went into recess for the 4th of July holiday this week in a deadlock over energy policy.

Sierra Club’s ads are intended to prompt voters to call their senators about two pieces of legislation: the Consumer First Energy Act and the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act. Both have stalled in the Senate so far this summer.

Sierra Club’s “Redeemer” ad calls on Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Sununu (R-N.H.), and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who have repeatedly voted against both bills, to change their stance to help citizens out at the gas pump. They’re also running ads in the respective states of Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) praising them for voting “yes” on the bills. A third ad is targeted at Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, praising him for supporting the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act and asking him to do the same on the Consumer First Energy Act, which he has opposed.

The ads run through the end of the holiday weekend. You can listen to them here: Ohio, Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.