Begich distances himself from GOP opponent on climate

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) is distancing himself from his Republican challenger on the divisive issue of climate change.

In an interview with KCAW in Alaska, Begich said there is a “stark contrast” between him and his Republican opponent Dan Sullivan on climate change.

{mosads}Begich doesn’t traditionally side with his party, when it comes to energy issues, such as the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which he supports, but on climate change, he sings a similar tune to the administration.

“First off, you have to first acknowledge there is climate change,” Begich said.

Sullivan has said there is “no concrete scientific consensus” on whether human activities contribute to climate change.

Begich called the disagreement over climate change a “generational issue,” KCAW reports.

Despite being pro-oil and gas, Begich stressed the need to invest in climate action now, saying he “could not believe” the evidence of global warming he has seen across Alaska.

“We have a choice,” Begich said. “We can produce oil and gas in our country, under our environmental regulations, which are much stronger, to protect the environment — emissions and other things. Or we deny the fact that these countries that we are buying from are really, I mean their environmental standards are awful. I don’t care if you’re Nigeria or China, wherever. They’re awful.”

Begich’s reelection race is crucial to Democrats’ majority in the Senate.

Sullivan will tout his own energy and climate stance during the Republican weekly address Saturday, according to a source. He is expected to talk about Keystone XL, the administration’s energy strategy, and what it would mean to have a Republican-controlled Senate.