The PAC taking out clean energy opponents

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Clean energy is the cheapest, fastest-growing source of power in the country, yet politically it barely registers. Republicans gutted its tax credits last year without fearing any consequences. The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a super PAC backed by clean energy investors, is trying to change that the old-fashioned way: by punishing the industry’s enemies. It went six for six in this year’s primaries; it’s now spending at least $15 million against seven Republican House candidates in the midterms. Its chair, Tom Matzzie, makes the case for fear as a political asset, explains why the industry has been so slow to throw elbows, and describes what it would take for clean energy to become a lion instead of a gazelle.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

02:55 - How the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition started

06:23 - Why a super PAC, and the idea of mythic power

09:50 - Punishing opponents to send a message to Congress

12:55 - Proving impact, and the permitting bill

17:13 - How ITC picks its general election races

21:41 - Does knocking out extremists help Republicans?

24:53 - Free riders and barriers to industry politics

28:58 - Who funds ITC, and why the industry underinvests

32:44 - Why clean power stays politically weak

38:28 - Did the IRA’s red-state investments pay off?

40:35 - Fear of Trump’s retaliation

45:05 - Avoiding the Democratic PAC label

49:30 - Presidential primaries and the ethanol playbook

53:20 - Gas inside the clean power trade groups

58:37 - Where ITC goes after November