Sierra Club DC PAC launches to change climate and environmental politics in the District
Sierra Club DC PAC launches to change climate and environmental politics in the District
February 9, 2025
Contact: David Whitehead, david.whitehead@sierraclub.org, 202-417-6752
The 2026 election will bring sweeping change to the DC Council and the Mayor’s office -- it is the most consequential shake-up of DC leadership in over a decade. Who is elected will determine how boldly and swiftly the District will retake the mantle of climate leadership, or whether the District’s leadership will continue to erode.
Sierra Club DC PAC is launching today in response to this moment. The PAC will invest in high-impact local races to stack our local politics with environmental champions and remove leaders who impede our District’s climate goals.
“This moment requires bold action on climate from our elected leaders, not continued delay or incremental steps. We know that DC voters care that their local officials are right on climate and the environment; however, many feel uninformed about the specifics of local policy and politics and are looking for analysis, a trusted guide and validator, and facts to inform their vote,” said Sierra Club DC PAC Co-Chair David Whitehead.
The Sierra Club DC PAC will meet this need through strategic direct mail campaigns and digital strategies to ensure key voters receive clear information and arguments about who has the green community’s stamp of approval and who stands in the way of progress.
“For too long, elected leaders in the District of Columbia have faced few political consequences for inaction and a lack of boldness on climate and environmental issues. We must go all in to elect climate champions and remove those leaders holding us back. Sierra Club DC PAC is laser-focused on this objective,” said Sierra Club DC PAC Co-Chair Matt Gravatt
The 2026 elections will bring DC a brand new executive branch and new councilmembers. The open race for Mayor creates a contest for the most powerful position in District government, which has direct authority over nearly all agencies that address local climate and environmental issues. At the Council level, there are three wide-open races, creating a significant opportunity to solidify a stronger green caucus in the District’s local legislature.
The environmental community is not the only one aware of how pivotal this election is. Early reporting indicates that corporate special interests are already raising funds to support candidates who will defend their interests. There are few PACs operations in the District (compared to other cities/states); typically, the largest PACs represent realtors, charter schools, the business community, and labor. There is no comparable progressive, climate, or environment-focused PAC in DC.
By establishing the first green PAC in years, the Sierra Club DC PAC hopes to play a strategic and powerful role in shaping the next political era.
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Visit www.sierraclubdcpac.com to learn more.
Paid for by Sierra Club DC PAC, 50 F Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20001. Matthew Gravatt, Treasurer.
A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections.