This is the eighth article in a continuing series by the NRDC Action Fund on the environmental stances of candidates in key races around the country.  

Eastern Ohio is today’s topic as we look at the 18th Congressional District. This rural, sprawling district is geographically Ohio’s largest, encompassing farmland and hill country from Holmes and Tuscarawas counties in the north to Ross and Jackson counties in the south. Though the district is historically Democratic, it’s voted Republican more recently, with John McCain carrying the district in the last presidential race. Democrat Zach Space won in 2006 after longtime Congressman Bob Ney’s relationship with corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff was exposed, and he was forced to resign shortly before the election. In November, Space will be challenged by Republican State Senator Bob Gibbs.

Since coming to Washington, Space has joined the Blue Dog Coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats. On environmental issues, he has consistently voted the right way, receiving a 75% rating from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV). This Congress, Space joined the House Energy and Commerce Committee where, in his words, he has worked to “make true investments in a new energy policy, providing a future for coal and advanced sources of energy so that future generations of Ohioans will never be subject to the decisions of foreign governments.” But, as we all know, actions speak louder than words, and Space cast a resounding vote in support for clean energy when he backed the historic American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), the first comprehensive climate bill to pass a chamber in Congress.

Bob Gibbs opposes ACES. On his website, he calls it a “national energy tax” and, as uncovered by the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, has been citing bogus numbers about the cost of the bill. He has claimed it will cost the average household more than $1,700 per year. The truth, according to the experts in the nonpartisan, unbiased Congressional Budget Office is that ACES will cost about $175 per household – a tenth of what Gibbs is claiming.

Bob Gibbs has also joined the anti-environment Americans for Prosperity‘s (AFP) campaign against climate legislation. AFP, an industry front group, is pushing to maintain the dirty energy status quo. Largely funded by arch-conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, AFP is the think tank behind the tea party movement. Other than eliminating all taxes, one of the Koch’s top priorities has been undermining environmental regulations. In fact, as Greenpeace reports the Kochs have funneled nearly $50 million to climate-denial front groups, earning the title of the “kingpin[s] of climate science denial.”

The NRDC Action Fund believes that it is important for the public in general, and the voters of specific Congressional districts, be aware of this information as they weigh their choices for November.