Extinction Democrats
Extinction Democrats are members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who’ve voted the wrong way at critical moments, and as a result, have pushed some of our most critically endangered species closer to extinction. We don’t believe these members deserve your vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York)
Enemy of North Atlantic Right Whales
Sen. Schumer greenlit a provision in the 2023 omnibus budget bill that allows North Atlantic right whales to be entangled and killed in lobster gear without impunity.
Sen. Angus King (Maine)
Enemy of North Atlantic Right Whales, Canada Lynx
Sen. King successfully inserted a right whale extinction rider in the 2023 omnibus budget bill that has pushed the species closer to extinction. He consistently votes to curtail federal agencies’ authority to protect endangered species like the Canada lynx on public lands so that industry can continue wreaking havoc on the country’s natural heritage. While Sen. King is an Independent, he caucuses with the Democrats.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Enemy of Gray Wolves, Northern Long-Eared Bats
For the last seven years, Sen. Klobuchar has been the primary sponsor of legislation that would remove federal protection for gray wolves nationwide. She also voted to weaken protection for northern long-eared bats and prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from ever increasing protections for them in the future.
Rep. Jared Golden (ME-02)
Enemy of Marine Mammals, Northern Long-Eared Bats, Gray Wolves
Rep. Golden has voted with Republicans at every single opportunity to reverse, weaken, or block protections for endangered species, including northern long-eared bats, North Atlantic right whales and other marine mammals, and gray wolves.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Enemy of Gray Wolves, Lesser Prairie-Chickens, Northern Long-Eared Bats
Rep. Cuellar supports prematurely removing Endangered Species Act protection for gray wolves nationwide. He has also voted to remove or weaken protections for lesser prairie-chickens and northern long-eared bats, while blocking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from similarly protecting these species in the future.
Rep. Mary Peltola (AK-at large)
Enemy of Canada Lynx, Whales
Rep. Scott Peters (CA-50)
Enemy of Northern Spotted Owls
Rep. Peters routinely teams up with Rep. Bruce Westerman — one of the most extreme, anti-wildlife members of Congress — to attack the science-based provisions of the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Together, Peters and Westerman sponsored the “Fix Our Forests Act,” which makes it easier to destroy old-growth forests, which northern spotted owls depend on for survival.
Rep. Adam Gray (CA-13)
Enemy of North Atlantic right whales, Northern Spotted Owls
Rep. Gray routinely undermines protections for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, and voted to support the “Fix Our Forests Act” which would devastate habitat for northern spotted owls. Gray has even introduced his own amendments to the Endangered Species Act, which would allow project developers to seek exemptions from the Act if they disagree with the economic impacts of avoiding extinction.
Photo credits: Chuck Schumer, Angus King, and Amy Klobuchar by J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photos; Jared Golden by Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images; Henry Cuellar by Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP Images; Scott Peters by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA; Jon Tester by Annabelle Gordon/Sipa USA; Mary Peltola by Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP; Adam Gray by Rich Pedroncelli via AP.