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Democrats trying to gain swing House seats in Texas stare down a possible Bernie Sanders nomination

  • February 29, 2020

The fossil fuel industry plays an enormous role in Houston’s economy. Texas produces more oil and natural gas than any other state. In the 7th District, its presence is as evident as anywhere: Driving along the area’s Energy Corridor, near strip malls, car dealerships and gleaming apartment complexes, stand the ConocoPhillips headquarters and offices for Shell and BP.

Beyond sitting at the forefront of Texas’ demographic changes, Houston embodies two of the core political challenges of the coming years: the future of the energy industry and the fight against climate change. The city is still recovering from the battering it received from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and subsequent flooding.

It’s another policy area where Sanders could loom large over Texas as the presidential nominee. He has appealed to younger voters and climate activists by supporting the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan to create jobs while transitioning to renewable energy, banning fracking and offshore drilling and offering pay and training to displaced fossil fuel workers.

Hunt has repeatedly criticized the Green New Deal as dangerous for the area’s economy. He has also argued that, by supporting Pelosi as speaker, Fletcher made the area’s energy industry more vulnerable.

Fletcher has opposed bans on fracking and offshore drilling and has also argued against the Green New Deal. She told CNBC she understands and cares about the energy economy and making sure Houston “stays the energy capital of the world.”

In the 22nd District, Kulkarni said he backs “evidence-based policy” that involves investing in renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels — but not swearing off those sources.

“I have lots of supporters who are in BP, Schlumberger, my mom worked in Exxon. Everybody around here is somehow connected to the oil and gas industry, you know? There’s nobody I know, Democrat or Republican, who’s talking about cutting out the fossil fuel industry completely,” he said.

“There’s also nobody I know who thinks that climate change is a Chinese hoax, like the president said,” he added.

For all the focus on Sanders nationally, Trump at the top of the ticket will have a massive effect on the races. Uneasiness about the president’s health care and immigration plans among a chunk of independents and Republicans contributed to Fletcher and Allred’s victories in Texas in 2018.

While the University of Houston’s Cross thinks a Sanders nomination could cause some difficulties for House candidates in Texas, she also expects many voters in key districts will not vote straight down the party line.

“I think we’re going to see a lot of split-ticket voting, particularly in districts like 7 and 22 and Colin Allred’s district,” she said.

— Graphics by CNBC’s John Schoen

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Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/super-tuesday-primaries-texas-house-candidates-weigh-bernie-sanders-rise.html

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