Gallego launches cost-focused energy plan amid 2028 chatter
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Sen. Ruben Gallego walks out of the Senate chamber. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Sen. Ruben Gallego on Wednesday dropped an energy plan that's very much of this political moment: It leads with affordability, with climate present but not front and center.
Why it matters: The Arizona Democrat is a potential 2028 White House candidate, and his plan arrives as energy costs are atop the political radar.
The big picture: "Energy is central to our way of life, but it's also one of the most volatile costs many households face," the 32-page document states.
- It calls for a system that's "safe, clean, and affordable for working families."
State of play: A few toplines...
- It would reinstate and extend residential efficiency and clean energy tax credits scuttled under the GOP budget law, and utility-scale incentives too.
- Other provisions would fund R&D into small modular reactors and boost finance for the Energy Department's clean energy loan programs.
There's a lot on reliability, and transmission is a focus, including exemptions from the most detailed environmental reviews.
- It would revive programs that steer resources to communities "transitioning from oil and gas industries as markets shift."
Yes, but: The plan is heavy on promoting zero-carbon sources and efficiency, but supports oil and gas in sections.
- The permitting overhaul portion would help renewables but also provide "clean timelines and requirements" for oil and gas pipelines.
- It also looks to "ensure reliable oil and gas supplies through greater communication around supply disruptions and supply consistency."
The intrigue: Climate change is hardly absent. The plan argues Gallego's policies can cut emissions, and shout-outs to clean tech like geothermal.
- But it's not the A message, unlike plans many 2020 hopefuls unveiled when the Green New Deal (which Gallego didn't co-sponsor while in the House) had more cachet in Democratic circles.
Our thought bubble: The scaffolding around the proposals is politically as important and interesting as the substance.
- It offers commentary and data about energy costs and stresses on households.
- Elsewhere, it hits the GOP budget law that scaled back the IRA, saying it will increase prices and cost jobs.
Zoom out: Get ready to hear a lot from Democrats about energy prices in the midterms as utility bills rise.
- The White House, meanwhile, prefers focusing on transportation fuels as gasoline slides below $3 per gallon.
Friction point: Political commentator Josh Barro coincidentally has a new piece arguing that President Trump has given Dems an opening on energy.
- "By canceling wind and solar projects for culture-war reasons, the president is essentially begging voters to blame him for rising electricity prices," Barro writes.
- But capitalizing also requires embrace of gas pipelines and other policies that make energy cheaper; otherwise, Republicans maintain a structural advantage on cost, argues Barro, a Democrat.
What we're watching: The energy posture of other 2028 hopefuls as they jostle for early position.
