Clean Virginia Announces First Wave of Candidate Endorsements and $1 Million Effort in Virginia’s General Assembly Elections
Endorsed Candidates Refuse Utility Monopoly Contributions and Demonstrate Commitment to Clean Government and Clean Energy
July 16, 2019
Today, Clean Virginia announced its plans to invest over $1 million in Virginia’s 2019 state legislative elections to support candidates with a principled stance against taking campaign contributions from Virginia’s regulated utility monopolies. Clean Virginia also announced its first round of general election endorsements for Virginia’s General Assembly, all of whom are champions of clean government and clean energy.
“Virginians are ready to elect candidates who truly represent their communities and the future of Virginia,” Clean Virginia Executive Director Brennan Gilmore said. “Clean Virginia is thrilled to endorse 61 candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to a functional and fair democracy, 21st century energy policy, and a check on the powerful utility giants in Virginia who have stymied progress on both.”
Clean Virginia’s Endorsements:
https://www.cleanvirginia.org/our-endorsements/
Clean Virginia endorses candidates based on a variety of criteria, including: public statements, responses to our 2019 Candidate Questionnaire on clean governance and clean energy policy, legislative record (for incumbents), and their stances on accepting contributions from regulated utility monopolies — like Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company — and their employed lobbyists. Clean Virginia’s investment will support a wide range of candidates and incumbents of both political parties who have this principled stance. The efforts will include targeted digital campaigns, grassroots organizing, and direct campaign contributions from Clean Virginia Fund and Clean Virginia Board Chair Michael Bills.
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Clean Virginia is a 501(c)4 independent advocacy organization with an associated Political Action Committee, Clean Virginia Fund. Clean Virginia works to fight corruption in Virginia politics in order to promote clean energy, a robust, competitive economy, and community control over our energy policy. We are motivated by the core belief that our democracy should serve average Virginians over special interests.