Alaska, Arkansas and Missouri. They don't exactly rank with Haight Ashbury, the Village and Dupont Circle as hubs of liberalism.
So why were sportsmen from those states gathered in the Dirksen Senate Office Building today to announce their groups were signing on to a letter to Congress calling for climate action?
"Grandkids aren't Democrats or Republicans," said National Wildlife Federation President Larry Schweiger. "They're just grandkids."
Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) and Sen. John Warner (R-VA) joined dozens of hunters and anglers from across the country to unveil the list of signers, more than 670 groups in all.
The letter calls for Congress to enact climate legislation with three main features:
-> Creation of a carbon cap-and-trade system
-> Cutting greenhouse emissions 2% per year
-> Dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation and restoration
Sen. Warner asked sportsmen to support the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, describing it as a carefully-crafted, "middle of the road" solution. While the bill falls just short of the letter's stated goal of an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050, targeting a 70% cut, the Climate Security Act establishes a cap-and-trade framework and tens of billions of dollars to help wildlife deal with the effects of global warming.
For Sen. Warner, the bill is a long shot (no pun intended). The Climate Security Act faces challenges from both sides. Even as Democrats plan to try to strengthen the bill's emissions targets and auction provisions, the coal industry is launching a $35 million dollar campaign to sink the bill. Industry will be backed by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who plans a filibuster. And then there's Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who wants more giveaways to the nuclear power industry, a potential poison pill for liberals. If Sen. Warner can shepherd it through the Senate, it will be an amazing capstone to a legendary career.
But sportsmen could help thread the needle. "There isn't a legislator worth his salt who doesn't listen to the hunters and anglers in his state," said Sen. Warner. As Sen. Casey pointed out, more people hunt and fish in Pennsylvania than attend Steelers, Eagles, and Sixers games combined.
"This is not an issue of red or blue or green," said Simon Roosevelt, a sportsman and great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt appeared at the event alongside former Chattanooga, TN city council member David Crockett, a descendant of the legendary outdoorsman.
Can sportsmen help shift the focus of the debate from divisive party politics to unifying conservation values?