Republicans expose U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ past anti-fracing views
(Bloomberg) – As a 2019 presidential candidate, Kamala Harris pledged to ban fracing. Now Republicans are betting her opposition to the technique will hurt her at the polls.
In tweets and campaign memos, Republican are resurfacing Harris’ previous anti-fracing stance to show how out of touch with voters in politically important states such as Pennsylvania.
“Kamala Harris is even more extreme than Joe Biden - She wants to ban fracing and kill countless jobs in states like PA for American workers,” Donald Trump Jr. posted on X.
During her brief primary run, Harris told a CNN town hall she opposed hydraulic fracturing, which involves pumping water, sand and chemicals underground to free oil and gas from dense rock formations.
“There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracing,” Harris said at the 2019 candidate climate forum. As California’s attorney general, Harris also sued the Obama administration over the approvals of fracing off her state’s coast. Harris later moderated her views after being selected as Biden’s running mate, with the campaign emphasizing new restrictions and regulations for the technique instead.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is encouraging candidates to use her opposition to fracing as an example of her “extreme agenda,” according to a memo circulated a day after President Joe Biden announced he wouldn’t be seeking reelection and would be backing Harris instead.
A new ad by Dave McCormick, who is running to unseat Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey did just that, highlighting a clip of Harris’ remarks in support of banning fracing along with support of the Green New Deal and other policies.
Still, Harris’ previous climate positions may not be “ideal proxies for her future choices,” ClearView Energy Partners, a Washington-based consulting firm wrote in a note to clients.
“We still do not expect Harris to propose significant changes to Biden’s energy agenda between now and the election,” the firm wrote. While the Trump campaign “seems likely to revisit Harris’ anti-fracing past, we think she has strong incentives to project a more balanced stance.”
