League of Conservation Voters Nov. 4, 2004 PRESS RELEASE


League of Conservation Voters Statement on National Electoral Results


November 4, 2004

Contact: Chuck Porcari or Mark Sokolove

WASHINGTON - League of Conservation Voters (LCV) President Deb Callahan today issued the following statement:

"While we are deeply disappointed in the results of the presidential race, electoral results across America proved that our more aggressive and comprehensive approach can and did produce pro-environment results.  We are enormously proud of the fact that LCV won seven of eight congressional races where we invested significant resources, including helping elect two pro-environment Republicans and five Democrats.  In total, nearly 90% of our endorsed congressional candidates were victorious on November 2nd.

"LCV campaigns helped a number of congressional candidates win tight races.  Among the most important was our effort to help Senator-elect Ken Salazar win with a multi-layered campaign that focused on his opponent’s ties to corporate pollution. LCV also helped his brother, John Salazar, earn a House seat as we elevated the prominence of water-use issues in that district.  In Illinois, we helped elect Melissa Bean to a House seat by highlighting her opponent’s ties to special interests.

"In Illinois, LCV played a major role in Senator-elect Barack Obama’s primary victory with our aggressive ad campaign based on clean air issues.  And in Michigan, we moved Rep-elect Joe Schwartz over the finish line in a winner-take-all Republican primary by highlighting his pro-environmental record.

"LCV will now take this successful electoral blueprint and apply it in both elections and policy debates around the country.  We will not rest until all three branches of our government are represented by pro-environment public servants."

- 30 -

The nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental and conservation community. LCV, which is not a partisan organization, is the only national organization working full-time to hold Congress and the president accountable for their environmental actions. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.lcv.org.