The PAC taking out clean energy opponents
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe 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