After worrying that Biden might be too much of a moderate on a range of issues, the left had to respect his environmental legacy once he signed a historic climate change law two years ago. However, that record — and Harris’ now-reversed support for a ban on fracking — has also alienated some of voters in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania, an opening Trump and other Republicans have sought to exploit.
That has made Walz the more convincing pragmatist on the Democratic ticket.
Some Democrats had aggressively pushed for Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to run with Harris, citing how his support for his home state’s fossil fuel industry would ease concerns among labor unions. But Walz, who represented a historically conservative district in Congress, has a far more mixed record on environmental policy than the headlines from his progressive governorship would indicate.
In Congress, for instance, Walz was rarely seen as an environmental champion by his colleagues and voted to complete the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. As governor, Walz has riled up some environmentalists who argue his administration should be moving to halt mining development in his state.
Harris is also facing questions from the left about how she might differentiate herself from Biden, including his climate agenda. One area that’s surfaced is Harris’ long, vocal advocacy for Black, Hispanic and impoverished communities that have been exposed to outsized levels of pollution.
As San Francisco district attorney in the mid-2000s, Harris stood up an environmental justice unit and sponsored legislation on the issue while serving in the Senate. As vice president, she also helped secure $15 billion for replacing lead drinking water pipes as part of Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, POLITICO has reported.
And despite his positions on mining, an issue that’s become more prominent as nations scramble to obtain the critical minerals needed for green technology, environmental groups have broadly lauded Harris’ pick of running mate. The Minnesota governor was a forceful advocate for car pollution standards akin to California’s and a requirement for zero-carbon power by 2040.
Trump and his allies have, in turn, attempted to frame Walz as a lefty pick who will back policies that ultimately force jobs out of the U.S.