Former US Vice President Al Gore has endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for November’s high-stakes election, citing her long record of standing up to oil and gas executives in support of the middle class and the climate.
Vice President Harris, 59, launched her presidential campaign hours after incumbent President Joe Biden withdrew from the race for a second term on July 20.
However, he has not yet been officially declared a presidential candidate by the Democrats.
He will face former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, in the general election on November 5.
“With so much at stake in this year’s election — from strengthening democracy in the U.S. and abroad to expanding opportunity for the American people and accelerating climate action — I’m proud to endorse Kamala Harris for president,” Al Gore said in a statement Sunday.
“As prosecutor, Kamala Harris took on Big Oil companies — and won. As vice president, she cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the most important investment in climate solutions in history. That’s the kind of climate champion we need in the White House,” the former vice president said in endorsing Harris.
Earlier, four major environmental groups also announced their support for Harris’ White House candidacy.
Environmental groups supporting Harris include the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, the Sierra Club, the NRDC Action Fund, and Clean Energy for America Action.
“Vice President Harris has been at the forefront of defending our planet from the climate crisis and creating good clean energy jobs that will power our future and grow our middle class. We are honored to have the support of Vice President Gore and these leading environmental organizations in the fight to protect our planet for our children and grandchildren,” said Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.
“Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to sell out our future to his big oil friends in exchange for campaign money. Donald Trump is trying to roll us back and let oil and gas executives write their own rules — Vice President Harris won’t let that happen,” Rodriguez said.
Endorsing Harris, four leading environmental, clean energy, and climate organizations said the Biden-Harris administration has done more to address the climate crisis and environmental injustice than any administration in American history.
“Whether holding polluters accountable as San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, leading on electric school buses in the U.S. Senate, or casting the deciding vote on the largest investment ever made in climate, clean energy, and environmental justice and leading on climate on the world stage as vice president, Kamala Harris has long been a climate champion,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at LCV Action Fund.
“Kamala Harris has been a driving force in delivering the strongest climate action in history. She is poised to build on those gains from day one as president,” said Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the NRDC Action Fund.
“She has supported policies and investments that reduce climate pollution, create jobs, spur innovation, strengthen the economy, and protect vulnerable communities,” Bapna said. “Harris understands the urgency and scale of the challenge.”
“She will build on the climate progress we have made domestically and internationally. She will raise climate ambition so that we can tackle the climate crisis in a way that makes the country more inclusive, more economically competitive, and more energy secure,” Bapna said.
“Kamala Harris is a bold advocate for people and the planet,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous. “From prosecuting polluters as California’s attorney general to crafting bold climate legislation that became the centerpiece of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, she has worked for decades to tackle the climate crisis and protect our health and future.”
“Clean energy is the future of American energy, and we cannot afford to roll back the historic progress made under President Biden,” said Sarah Mason, deputy executive director of CE4A Action.
“Vice President Harris is a proven champion and strong advocate for climate action and clean energy, and we are confident she will build on the impressive legacy of the Biden-Harris Administration as President,” he said.