Michael Bloomberg group pours $2.5 million into a low-profile NC race
A group funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg is spending almost $2.5 million on behalf of the Democratic candidate for North Carolina’s lieutenant governor.
The investment by the Beyond Carbon Victory Fund is by far the largest independent expenditure on behalf of Yvonne Holley in her race against Republican Mark Robinson.
The Bloomberg group was formed to spur policies addressing climate change. In addition to the N.C. race, it’s spending more than $2 million to elect people to the Arizona Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates that state’s utilities.
“Our Beyond Carbon Victory Fund campaign aims to elect champions of climate action all over the country — at all levels of government where an impact can be made,” Bloomberg, a former Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement. “These races may not make headline news, but I’m glad to support candidates in North Carolina and Arizona who will be leaders on climate action and the urgent work of moving our country more quickly to a 100% clean energy economy.”
In North Carolina, Beyond Carbon is spending $2 million on TV ads through Oct. 19, $431,000 on digital ads and $32,000 on radio ads. By comparison, Holley had raised just $360,000 through June.
At a Spectrum TV debate this month, Robinson talked about what he called the “unproven science” and “wild ideas of climate change.” The lieutenant governor chairs the state’s Energy Policy Council.
“I’ve got to be excited about it,” Holley said when a reporter told her about the expenditure. “I do believe in climate change and I want to do some things to help environmentally in North Carolina.”
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Michael Bloomberg group pours $2.5 million into a low-profile NC race."
