Climate Scientist Michael Mann Endorses Mark Levine for Congress

I haven’t been routinely posting endorsements, such as Bill Richardson backing Don Beyer or Scott Surovell supporting Patrick Hope, frankly because I don’t find most of them particularly newsworthy or unexpected. In this case, though, I’d argue that the endorsement of Mark Levine by Michael Mann it’s newsworthy in several senses.

First, Michael Mann is one of the leading climate scientists in the world. Second, Mann is a hero in a lot of environmentalists’ (myself included) book, for standing up to Ken Cuccinelli and other climate-science-denying thugs who tried to intimidate, silence, libel, defame, even threaten him. Third, I didn’t see this coming at all; even though Mann endorsed and campaigned for Mark Herring last year in the primary and general election, that was for statewide office, and also against a Republican (Mark Obenshain) who said that Ken Cuccinelli was his role model. In this case, it seems like we’ve got a bunch of strong candidates on energy and environmental issues, including Don Beyer’s call for a national carbon tax, Patrick Hope’s leadership on preventing fracking in the GW National Forest; Adam Ebbin’s leadership on a wide variety of environmental issues over the years; etc. Also, there’s basically zero danger of Democrats losing this seat, so it’s not as if a climate-science-denying Republican is a threat here. All that makes Mann’s endorsement of Mark Levine newsworthy, in my view, as it’s a combination of interesting, unexpected, and significant (e.g., on what is by far the #1 issue facing humanity).  

World Renowned Climate Scientist Michael Mann Endorses Mark Levine for Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALEXANDRIA- World renowned physicist and climatologist Dr. Michael Mann has endorsed Mark Levine’s candidacy for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District. Dr. Mann issued the following endorsement statement supporting Levine’s campaign:

I am proud to endorse Mark Levine for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District. Mark has proven himself an able environmental champion, unafraid to challenge those who continue to deny the overwhelming evidence for human-caused climate change, whether they are on FOX News or in Congress.

Mark Levine not only supports putting a price on carbon emissions to reduce the threat of global warming; he has also spoken out on the dangers of mountaintop removal in West Virginia and the damage coal companies do to the water supply downstream. Mark opposes projects that will make climate change worse such as the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, and he supports incentivizing renewable energy resources like wind, geothermal, and solar energy technology.

I know from my personal experience how relentless industry front groups and those who do their bidding can be in their pursuit to suppress scientific evidence on climate change. Mark will be the strong voice we need to lead the charge in Congress to combat global climate change, and his continuing experience on national television and radio confronting climate science deniers will be a welcomed addition to the House of Representatives.

Mark Levine made the following remarks regarding Dr. Mann’s endorsement:

I am excited to have the support of Dr. Michael Mann, a scholar who has made significant advancements in the study of global climate change. As the next Member of Congress from the 8th District, I will work to improve the quality of our natural environment by personally punishing the officers of corporations that pollute our air and our water.