NextGen challenges climate skeptics in final midterm push

Billionaire Tom Steyer’s political group NextGen Climate is going to try to shame climate skeptics into changing their stance on global warming in a final midterm push before November.

NextGen is running a “science denier week” with events planned in the Senate and gubernatorial races it is involved in across the country.

{mosads}”Today we are issuing a specific challenge to deniers, giving them one last time to come clean before voters vote,” said Chris Lehane, Steyer’s top adviser.

The “Stone Age Challenge” will ask candidates if they want to “protect the communities you represent” or “continue to support caveman-like policies from the Stone Age.”

Lehane said this is the last chance NextGen will afford Senate candidates like Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Terri Lyn Land (R-Mich.) the opportunity to change their stance on climate science before sending out a final barrage of attacks that will reach voters by TV, radio, emails, flyers, and door-to-door canvassing. 

During the “science denier week,” NextGen will issue a report called the “Stone Age,” which documents every instance throughout the midterm cycle that a candidate denied the science behind climate change, or that it was caused by human activity.

There will also be a number of “teachings,” Lehane said, in certain states where GOP candidates will be invited to participate in a town-hall forum with people to discuss climate change.

NextGen plans to invite Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), who is facing a tough reelection race, to join Florida teachers to learn about global warming and its impact on the state.

At the end of week, NextGen will release a TV ad in Washington, D.C. that asserts there is no longer a debate on climate change, and that 95 percent of scientists agree it is happening.

The ad will warn lawmakers in Washington that denying the science behind climate change is a “prescription to political extinction,” Lehane said.

He added: “It will get people’s attention.”

Republicans have blamed Steyer, and his political climate group for forcing Democrats to support what they call the administration’s “war on coal,” and extreme climate policies.

Steyer has become a boogeyman used by Republicans throughout the 2014 election cycle, and has been compared to conservative donors Charles and David Koch.

Steyer argues that his agenda is not one that would benefit his finances, and is instead to put more environmentally-friendly candidates in office.