By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A collection of the nation’s largest and biggest-spending environmental groups endorsed President Joe Biden’s re-election bid on Wednesday, an early sign that he has solidified their support despite some recent policy moves that have angered climate activists.
The League of Voters for Conservation (LCV) Action Fund, billionaire Tom Steyer’s NextGen PAC, the NRDC Action Fund and the Sierra Club endorsed Biden at an LCV dinner in Washington. This is the first time the four groups have jointly announced a presidential endorsement, according to the Biden campaign.
“Together we have come a long way so far. We have to finish the job,” Biden told the crowd of climate activists.
He added that the world poses many threats, but climate change “is the only truly existential threat.”
While the endorsements aren’t surprising, they’re a sign that environmental groups aren’t letting a string of recently disappointing administrative rulings on oil drilling in Alaska and support for a gas pipeline in West Virginia dampen their enthusiasm.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher and the choice couldn’t be clearer,” said Sierra Club general manager Eva Hernandez.
The groups represent the mainstream of the environmental movement and tend to reflect older voices. Younger activists, like those who sought to disrupt the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner earlier this year, may be less enthusiastic about backing Biden.
The four organizations combined represent millions of members and activists in every state across the country who can help mobilize voters in 2024. They’re also a lot of money.
Steyer’s NextGen PAC spent $56.7 million in 2020, according to campaign finance records.
Biden is heading to California next week to raise campaign funds from tech and climate donors as he races to raise more than $1 billion for his re-election fight, Reuters reported.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker)