Democrats win 3 state trifectas, opening climate agenda — SkimNews
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- Democratic Party candidates won control of both legislative chambers and the governor’s office in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—the first Democratic trifectas there since 1966, 1993 and 2010, respectively—and also restored trifectas in Minnesota, Michigan and Nevada.
- Wisconsin adopted a 10% renewable-electricity standard more than two decades ago and never replaced it after exceeding the target, while neighboring Michigan and Minnesota mandate 100% clean electricity by 2040.
- Clean Wisconsin policy director Erik Kanter said the new legislature can require utilities to plan for future generation, nudging investment toward renewables rather than extending gas and coal plants; he expects clean-power requirements for data centers to pass.
- Lindsey Williams has introduced Pennsylvania appliance energy- and water-efficiency standards every year since 2019 without passage and believes the first trifecta since 1993 can move them in next year’s session.
- Josh Shapiro, who withdrew Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, put mass-transit funding on his agenda and promised a state cap-and-trade program if legislators support it; Democrats are seeking $1.5 billion for Philadelphia-area transit.
- Lauren Kuby said Arizona lawmakers want the Arizona Corporation Commission to require utility investment in solar, batteries and “virtual power plants,” reforms that two Democrats appearing set to win commission seats would help advance.
- Lauren Kuby said rural groundwater-pumping regulation had failed for years despite support from many Republicans; climate change is worsening droughts, while large dairies and alfalfa farms have been blamed for sinking land and dried residential wells.
Why it matters: For climate advocates, Pennsylvania’s slim majorities create a narrow two-year window to advance appliance efficiency standards, community solar and a proposed $1.5 billion transit package—measures that repeatedly stalled under the previous Senate balance; a state cap-and-trade program remains contingent on legislative support.
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