POLITICO Energy Colorado Gov. Polis on Trump, energy prices and Dems’ 2026 strategy
Apr 6, 2026
Jared Polis, Colorado governor and former entrepreneur leading a state rich in energy, agriculture and outdoor recreation. He discusses rising energy prices and the Iran conflict's impact. He talks about utility bills, localizing climate as a bread-and-butter issue, wildfire insurance reforms, balancing oil production with decarbonization, and the need for dispatchable clean resources.
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Localize Climate Messages To Voter Risks
- Localize climate messaging to voters' lived risks and costs.
- Polis says talk hurricanes in Florida, homeowners insurance and hail in the Plains, and wildfires and drought in the West to connect climate to affordability.
Tie Fire Mitigation To Insurance Discounts
- Do give insurers credit for homeowners' fire mitigation to reduce premiums.
- Polis signed legislation asking insurers to consider home and community mitigation like clearing brush to lower rates in wildland-urban interface areas.
Climate Voters Are Not Just Single Issue
- Climate-minded voters are rarely purely single-issue; climate factors into everyday choices.
- Polis notes skiers, farmers and outdoor workers who alter behavior or incomes because of changing snowfall and drought.