Hurt Puts Dirty Energy Donors Ahead of 5th District Voters

Republicans have a long history of doing battle with science, from evolution to tobacco to stem cells. The latest to step up to the plate to claim science is a sham? State Sen. Robert Hurt (R-VA), who's running for the GOP nomination to challenge Rep. Tom Perriello in Virginia's 5th district. Hurt is running against a large field of teabaggers in the GOP primary, so he's desperate to out-crazy them:

A question about “Climategate” produced agreement among the three candidates who answered it.

Hurt said Climategate is “scientists who have given us something that is not true. It is faulty information and it has real consequences in the 5th District, in the loss of jobs and in power bills from Appalachian Power Co.”

How convenient that Hurt is standing up for Appalachian Power, which has contributed $3,250 to his campaigns since 2001. That's just a fraction of the $64,717 he's received from energy companies over that period, including $20,750 from electric utilities.

Hurt's climate position puts him clearly out of step with the 5th district. Only 25% of voters there oppose a cap & trade system to regulate global warming pollution. While Hurt is cozying up to Appalachian Power, Virginians say they're getting screwed by our energy status quo:

"I'm tired of my head being buried in the sand and my butt up in the air," says Montgomery Co. resident Margie Hatcher. "That's what we've all been doing, much too long."

Look, the science of climate change is settled. The only thing that seems to be unsettled is Robert Hurt's opinions and even his biography, which can change from moment to moment. 

As for Rep. Tom Perriello? Even his opponents call him "a man of principle."