The new Democratic energy playbook: affordability first, climate second

Across the country, many Democratic governors are shifting from ambitious climate policies to prioritizing energy affordability as costs rise and political pressure builds ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. POLITICO’s Adam Aton explains what’s driving the change, the political trade-offs behind it, how it’s affecting the clean energy industry, and whether it signals a lasting shift for the party. Adam Aton covers the politics of climate change for POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy