WASHINGTON, D.C.: The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) today announced Ron Johnson as one of the first members of its trademark Dirty Dozen program for the 2016 cycle. Johnson is being challenged for his Senate seat in Wisconsin by environmental champion and former Senator Russ Feingold, who has a 95 percent lifetime LCV score.

For 20 years, the Dirty Dozen has targeted candidates— regardless of party affiliation — who consistently side against the environment and are running in races in which LCV has a serious chance to affect the outcome. Last cycle, LCV defeated seven of the 12 Dirty Dozen candidates. In the last presidential year of 2012, LCV defeated 11 of 12.

“Ron Johnson is completely out of touch with Wisconsinites and has gotten so deep in the pocket of big polluters – to the tune of nearly $500,000 dollars – that he has wasted almost no opportunity to attack critical clean air and water protections in Congress. He would rather put at risk the water quality of the Great Lakes than protect the health of Wisconsin’s families, earning him a debut spot on our 2016 Dirty Dozen list,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “Of course, Ron Johnson has doubled-down on his anti-environmental agenda, stubbornly refusing to accept the settled science regarding humans’ role in the warming of our planet. He has consistently voted against clean air and water protections, to block the Clean Power Plan, and to protect polluters’ interests instead of the health of our families. Naming him to the Dirty Dozen means we are ready to communicate just how dangerously out of step Johnson is with voters in Wisconsin.”

Senator Ron Johnson is a returning member of the Dirty Dozen with a 4 percent lifetime LCV score and one of the most reliable anti-climate votes in the Senate.  He has repeatedly tried to block the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, and in 2015, he voted against every single pro-environment action on the National Environmental Scorecard. He has received nearly $500,000 from big polluters.

###

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters, www.lcv.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.