Eco-activists 'painting a big, green bull's-eye' on Colorado for election day

Environmentalists in Colorado may have lost a rallying cry this year when efforts to limit fracking didn't make the ballot, but that hasn't stopped eco-activists from painting a big, green bull's-eye on the state. Several national groups already have begun campaigning in Colorado in preparation for Election Day, and the Environmental Defense Fund on Tuesday vowed to make the state the centerpiece of a broad effort to highlight the issue of climate change. The overall aim is to energize young and environmentally conscious voters — although questions remain on whether the latest initiative, along with other pro-environmental efforts in the state, can reverse a long-standing trend of low turnout in midterm election years. "It's certainly the biggest thing we're doing nationally," Environmental Defense Fund spokesman Keith Gaby said of the group's planned $2 million campaign in Colorado to get 100,000 voters to the polls. Expected to work a similar beat will be staffers and volunteers for NextGen Climate, an advocacy group founded by investor and environmentalist Tom Steyer. A consultant to NextGen Climate said the organization is planning a multimillion-dollar effort in Colorado this year that will focus on the highly competitive U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Mark Udall and Republican challenger Cory Gardner. Also backing Udall in his Senate race is the League of Conservation Voters. Group officials are marshaling a large get-out-the-vote drive that they said could tip the scales. "We are going to be putting forth a major effort this fall to ensure that young people, married and single women and Hispanic voters turn out and vote for pro-environment candidates," said Daniel J. Weiss of the League of Conservation Voters...more