The marquee issues in this year’s mid-term election are economic recovery, health care and the national debt. However, global warming has surfaced as an issue this week in New York’s 25th Congressional District.
It started Tuesday evening, when YNN aired a televised debate between Republican Ann Marie Buerkle and Democrat Dan Maffei. Buerkle criticized incumbent Democrat Dan Maffei for supporting a cap and trade bill in Congress, saying it’ll jack up energy rates.
Maffei refuted that claim, and said Buerkle denies global warming. She responded by saying, “a lot of the global warming myth has been exposed.” Though not denying climate change, Buerkle said, ”…the jury is still out.”
On Thursday, the president of New York's top environmental science research college Neil Murphy -- along with several other climate change experts -- gathered to condemn Buerkle for not acknowledging global warming. Murphy says he’s endorsing Maffei in the race.
Buerkle says she’s supportive of alternative energy industries, but couldn’t say how Murphy’s endorsement of her opponent, over the issue of global warming, would affect their working relationship if she were elected.
She told the Post-Standard that the “global warming myth” remark was made in reference to an email scandal among scientists who altered research data to conform to their bias.
Buerkle and Maffei have one more scheduled debate airing tonight. If you’d like to comment on this story, or any other story, visit our facebook page.
