Democratic Governors Push for Renewable Energy Post-Trump Victory

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic governors of two U.S. states pledged on Friday to keep building programs on renewable energy and curbing climate change after President-elect Donald Trump's victory this week.

Why It's Important

The comments are a first indication that the Democratic governors are planning to push ahead and fight against climate change.

Trump, a Republican, has said he may repeal subsidies for electric vehicles, a core provision of President Joe Biden's signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA contains billions in subsidies for clean energy, including wind and solar energy and batteries. It is unclear whether Trump would also aim to target those.

Key Quotes

"We are going to move forward in the United States, state by state, county by county, city by city, in continuing our tremendous dynamic growth of our clean energy economy," said Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state to reporters.

Inslee is a founding member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors of states and U.S. territories, representing 57% of the U.S. economy.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico emphasized that governors should remind Americans and the world that they operate as "subnationals, irrespective of the leadership in the White House." Her state is a major oil producer but also generates significant amounts of wind, geothermal, and solar power.

By The Numbers

Washington state voters easily defeated an attempt to eliminate the state's carbon market, which has raised over $2 billion for programs such as innovative public transit, protection from wildfires, and salmon conservation since its launch in 2023.

"This will serve as further inspiration to legislators and governors across the United States to continue our efforts to reduce climate emissions and build our economy," Inslee stated.