One of the House’s newest members is mapping out how Democrats can reengage on helping poor and minority communities tackle pollution and climate change, arguing the issue can secure wins for the party.
Rep. Christian Menefee won a January special election in Texas’ 18th District to replace the late Sylvester Turner. And last week Menefee won a primary runoff against longtime Democratic Rep. Al Green to represent much of downtown and inner-city Houston. His return to the House next year is now almost assured.
During five years as Harris County attorney, Menefee made environmental justice a top priority of that job and he’s looking to do the same in Congress. But his message comes at a time when many Democrats run to the center or tie their environmental activism to affordability concerns dominating the midterm election campaigning.
“My goal up here in Congress is to try to make real headway on getting environmental racism not just acknowledged, but something being done about it,” Menefee said during an interview. “I have communities in my district that are hyper-polluted in ways that other communities just cannot appreciate.”
