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53 DNC members protest rejection of Jay Inslee's climate change debate

Jay Inslee speaks about climate change at the Council on Foreign Relations on June 5. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

53 voting members of the Democratic National Committee have submitted an open letter to Chairman Tom Perez in protest of the DNC's decision to reject a 2020 primary debate focused on climate change, as proposed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, the Huffington Post reports.

Yes, but: A majority of signatures on this resolution would not require Perez to change the DNC's stance on holding an issue-focused debate.

Why it matters: 44% of voters consider climate change "a critical threat to the vital interests" of the U.S. in the next 10 years, according to Morning Consult/Politico.

  • Two-thirds of Democrats say climate change poses a critical threat, compared to 1 in 5 Republicans, per Morning Consult.
  • A CNN poll from last month found that climate change is solidly in the top of Democratic primary voters' issues for 2020.

Between the lines: Washington Democratic Party Chairwoman Tina Podlodowski "insisted the effort was not intended specifically to help Inslee," per HuffPost.

Go deeper: The candidates who support a climate-focused primary debate

Climate change