Rep. Dina Titus ‘Honored’ To Receive Sierra Club Endorsement

Earlier this month, the Sierra Club announced their endorsement of Democratic Rep. Dina Titus (CD-1). In response, Titus tweeted she was ‘honored’ to receive their endorsement.

Southern Nevadans are experiencing the impacts of climate changes now—from dwindling water supply to extreme heat. It’s an honor to have @SierraClub’s endorsement as I continue to fight for our environment and public lands. https://t.co/BunD7tqLgZ

— Dina Titus (@dinatitus) May 9, 2022

Although Nevadans’ are facing the highest gas prices on record, the Sierra Club advocates for increased gas taxes, indexed to inflation and fuel sales, and extending taxes to electric vehicles.

A report co-authored by the Sierra Club suggested reforming the gas tax in Nevada so it is indexed to fuel sales and inflation, and suggested extending the gas tax to electric vehicles: “Instead of an EV-specific fee or a miles-traveled-based fee, we propose keeping the basic structure of the gas tax intact, index it to inflation and fuel sales, and extend it to EVs based on their fuel economy. By indexing the gas tax rate to inflation and fuel sales, Nevada would end the two major sources of revenue erosion to date: increasing construction costs and fuel economy.”

As reported by The Globe, as Congresswoman Dina Titus and her Democratic colleagues in Nevada are suddenly pushing for a federal gas tax holiday. Yet, Nevadans won’t enjoy the holiday thanks to her ‘yes’ vote cast in 1997 on AB525, which automatically raised Nevada’s fuel tax by the exact amount of any reduction at the federal level.

But wait, there’s more. As crime rates have soared throughout Nevada, the Sierra Club also supports defunding the police.

In an article written by Ramón Cruz, President of the Sierra Club and an environmental policy and advocacy expert:

The Sierra Club is committed to meeting this moment. We mobilized our members and staff to take part in massive Juneteenth rallies across the country. We added our voices to support the Movement for Black Lives’s demands: Defund the police, invest in Black communities, and get Donald Trump out of office. The board officially signed on to their platform late last week. Like so much in this moment, these demands might seem unprecedented or radical. (Although I’m sure we can all get behind the last one). Where did this push to defund the police come from? And why is the Sierra Club supporting it?” It comes from recognizing that the problems with policing can’t be solved through piecemeal reforms or getting rid of “a few bad apples.” The whole barrel — the whole system — is rotten.

Endorsements from her radical allies will likely not provide Titus the safety she may need from the predicted red wave that continues to build momentum across the country and in the Silver State. Titus may be green in policy and honored by endorsements, but in a historical swing state, struggling Nevadans may decide she is too expensive and radical for reelection.