Democrats have claimed the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. It gives the party powerful new oversight authority. But will it translate to meaningful action on climate and clean energy?

Several moderate Republicans were voted out of Congress this week, casting doubt on any hope of bipartisan legislation. At the same time, Democrats now have chance to block the GOP's deregulatory activity and put climate and clean energy back the national agenda.  

Then there are the states, where several Democrats campaigned and won on a platform endorsing 100 percent renewable energy. Several high-profile climate related ballot initiatives did not advance on Tuesday, but the outcome may not be as bad for clean energy as it may seem. In this episode of Political Climate, we debate the outcome of the 2018 midterms. 

Finally, we discuss the outcome of Brandon and Shane’s friendly O’Rourke vs. Cruz bet — and where to go for dinner.

Recommended reading:

• GTM: Midterms 2018: Mixed Results for the Renewable Energy Agenda
• E&E: Dems prepare 'flood' of energy, climate investigations
• Inside Climate: Clean Energy’s Future Could Rise or Fall with These Governor’s Races

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