Lansing Sun

A U.S. energy policy group named U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI-7) an ‘Energy Champion’ for Barrett ’s support of policies promoting “affordable, reliable, clean American energy.”

"There are over 58 million American energy patriots who prioritize energy affordability in their voting decisions and will support candidates who champion cost-effective energy policies,” Anthony Conchel, spokesman for The Empowerment Alliance (TEA), told Lansing Sun. “With the general election Nov. 5, TEA researched the candidates in 22 key congressional races to help these voters know where their candidates stand on energy affordability and security.”

“In short, TEA looked for 'Energy Champions' who support policies that are aligned with our Energy Security ARC of Affordable, Reliable, Clean energy,” said Conchel. “Our team reviewed candidates' campaign websites, social media accounts and any earned media that was available regarding their positions on key energy issues — and from that information, TEA assigned the accompanying ratings for each candidate."

TEA’s “American Energy Scorecard” ranked candidates based on their support for “the continued use of fossil fuels” and whether the candidates backed policies that promote “affordable, reliable, clean” energy and those that promote “energy security.”

Barrett scored five out of five points on the scorecard, while his opponent, Curtis Hertel (D) scored only one point, with uncertainty over whether Hertel supports the continued use of fossil fuels, policies that promote affordable, reliable and clean energy.

The candidate positions were evaluated based on a TEA review of the candidates’ websites, social media accounts, and news articles, according to the TEA website.  

TEA is a non-profit organization that advocates for U.S. energy independence, focusing on the role of natural gas in maintaining energy affordability and security. The group said it supports policies aimed at ensuring reliable, domestic energy sources, and opposes policies that mandate 100% renewable energy, saying that a combination of energy sources is necessary for long-term economic stability and national security.