Washington D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, which works to elect pro-environment candidates, announced today the endorsement of Mandela Barnes for election to the U.S. Senate representing Wisconsin.
“Mandela Barnes is a true environmental champion with a strong record leading efforts to tackle the climate crisis working alongside farmers, environmental advocates, Indigenous leaders, and business executives in Wisconsin,” said LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “Mandela Barnes will prioritize the health and well-being of communities instead of polluters and their profits. We are thrilled to support his campaign because we know that he will help lead the ongoing fight to create good-paying, clean energy jobs, and bring environmental justice for all communities.”
“Mandela Barnes has championed climate action his entire career, including leading the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change. Our communities in Wisconsin deserve leaders in Congress who will prioritize all communities, fight for environmental justice, and lead Wisconsin through a just and clean energy transition,” said Wisconsin Conservation Voters Government Affairs Director Jennifer Giegerich. “Mandela Barnes will represent our state in the fight for clean water, healthy air, and a resilient climate for everyone in Wisconsin.”
“From the beginning, we have set out to unite a broad coalition in our fight for a better future, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have LCV Action Fund’s support,” said Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, candidate for U.S. Senate. “My story wouldn’t be possible without the good-paying manufacturing jobs that were created in Wisconsin when Congress took bold action to curb climate change with the Clean Air Act. Together with our family farmers, workers, unions, and advocates, we will put Wisconsin back on track to lead the nation with innovative manufacturing and farming.”
A Milwaukee native, Mandela Barnes has spent his life fighting for change, including for climate and environmental justice. In 2014, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, where he made it a priority to fight for Wisconsin’s environment, earning a 100% lifetime score on Wisconsin Conservation Voters’ scorecard, and served as chair of the legislature’s Black and Latino Caucus. Barnes was elected as Lt. Governor of Wisconsin in 2018. He is the first Black man to serve as Lt. Governor and only the second Black statewide official in Wisconsin history. Governor Evers appointed Barnes as chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change. The Task Force included farmers, environmental advocates, Indigenous leaders, and business executives and recommended 55 strategies for how the state could tackle climate change. In his Senate campaign, he has made climate a key issue, including calling for a Green New Deal that will work for Wisconsin and create jobs in every corner of the state by addressing the climate crisis and investing in clean energy.
About LCV Action Fund
The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, the connected federal political action committee (PAC) of the League of Conservation Voters, works to elect leaders who stand up for a clean, healthy environment and to defeat anti-environment candidates who oppose climate action. Since the 1990 election cycle, LCVAF has helped elect and re-elect 95 U.S. Senators and 462 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Over the last several years, our efforts have also helped elevate climate change and clean energy as critical issues in key elections.
