OGDEN, Utah (AP) — The Republican and Democratic candidates vying for Mitt Romney’s open U.S. Senate seat tried Thursday to convince Utah voters that they have a better approach to combating climate change and protecting it of the state’s expansive natural resources.
Republican U.S. Rep. John Curtis, who leads the Conservative Climate Caucus on Capitol Hill, faced off on the debate stage against a climate activist and mountaineer who aimed to undermine Curtis’ reputation as a climate-focused congressman.
“I’ve heard from young people who have paralyzing concerns about the future of our planet,” said Democrat Caroline Gleich. “I’m an advocate for the environment so I’m all about reduce, reuse and recycle, but we can’t keep recycling the same old politicians and expecting them to get out of this mess.”
Gleich, 38, is the underdog in a deep red state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1970. Utah voters typically favor moderate Republicans like Romney and Curtis in statewide elections.
November’s winner will succeed one of Washington’s most prominent centrists and an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump. Romney reiterated this week that he would not vote for Trump, but declined to join a growing group of senior Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and a Trump White House aide who has publicly supported Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris have supported.
The outgoing senator said he wants to continue to have a voice in a Republican Party that he said may need to be rebuilt after this election cycle.
Curtis, 64, is being compared to Romney because of his willingness to push back against Trump and others in his party who have falsely claimed that climate change is a hoax.
In the GOP primary in June, Curtis emerged from a crowded candidate pool and defeated a Trump-backed mayor. Before Trump became the Republican nominee, Curtis promised to support the party’s ultimate choice, but he expressed no real support for the former president.
In a western state where residents value outdoor recreation, air quality and access to water, both Curtis and Gleich see the environment as a critical issue — but their approaches differ.
Curtis is the longest-serving member of the Utah House of Representatives delegation. His seven years on Capitol Hill were marked by efforts to bring conservatives to the table on an issue historically dominated by Democrats. He has developed a Republican approach to climate policy that he says aims to reduce emissions without endangering American jobs or economic principles.
He explained Thursday how his market-based approach applies to Utah’s water problems.
The Great Salt Lake is shrinking, largely due to climate change and the diversion of water for human utilize, particularly agriculture. The exposed lake bed contains toxic minerals that can worsen air quality and pose a threat to public health.
The congressman said he wants to continue supporting the state’s agricultural industry while helping industry leaders understand how they can make compact changes to be part of a larger solution.
“The combination of the private sector, not demonizing agriculture and leveraging Utah’s innovations will help us solve this problem in a way that will help us grow and prosper,” Curtis said.
His opponent said she would work to accelerate water conservation efforts in the West and encourage lawmakers to view the region’s water as a finite resource.
Curtis was supported in the primary by some leading environmental advocacy groups, such as EDF Action, the advocacy partner of the Environmental Defense Fund, which has almost always supported Democrats.
Gleich has enlisted the aid of the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and Protect Our Winters, an environmental group she previously worked with, to lobby lawmakers, including Curtis.
Still, the congressman has received broad support from the state’s coal, oil and gas hubs. He urged lawmakers not to exclude the fossil fuel industry — an economic engine in his congressional district — as part of an affordable, spotless energy future. He argues that the U.S. can meet its emissions reduction goals while continuing to utilize natural gas, which emits less carbon dioxide when burned than other fossil fuels.
Gleich has accused Curtis of pandering to the fossil fuel industry and criticized him for voting against climate-focused Democratic proposals like the Inflation Reduction Act. If elected, the Democrat said she would support eliminating government subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and advocate for investments in electric vehicle infrastructure.
