Bryan Cohn for House District 32: challenging incumbent Frank Sossamon (R) northeast of Durham including Oxford, which was hit by a Helene tornado. Cohn is a city commissioner in Oxford who works in agriculture helping farmers keep their operations running. He played a role in expansions to local parks and improvements to local water infrastructure. Once elected, he will be an advocate for expanding public transportation, increasing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, and transitioning local bus fleets to electric. He is also committed to developing resilient infrastructure, enhancing emergency response systems, and expanding rural connectivity across his community. He’s running not only to act on the environment by preventing offshore oil drilling and promoting wind and solar – but also to support a state constitutional amendment to be approved by voters that will enshrine a woman’s right to choose into state law. (Lead Locally, Climate Cabinet)

Evonne Hopkins for House District 35: northeast of Durham. As an avid hiker, swimmer, kayaker, and boater, Evonne appreciates the beauty of the environment and is committed to protecting it. She will vote for legislation that ensures clean air and water for her community, and she will advocate for renewable energy investments and expanded public transportation systems. (Climate Cabinet)

Safiyah Jackson for House District 37: south of Raleigh. (Climate Cabinet)

Robert Reives for House District 54: west of Raleigh. The incumbent Democratic leader has been the recipient of multiple League of Conservation Voters awards commending him on his work for environmental preservation, and he has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for his district's water infrastructure and to help clean water pollution. In his next term, Robert is committed to expanding solar energy in his district and addressing water pollution caused by corporations. (Climate Cabinet)

Beth Helfrich for House District 98: open seat vs Melinda Bales (R) - Lake Norman north of Charlotte. Helfrich is a teacher and school administrator of 20 years who is running to speed up NC’s clean energy transition, hit the targets outlined in the Governor’s executive order committing the state to the goals of the Paris Climate Accords, to advocate for conservation, and to fight for environmental justice on issues like outdated infrastructure and worker protections. (Lead Locally)

Nicole Sidman for House District 105: southeast of Charlotte. (Climate Cabinet)

Lindsey Prather for House District 115: north of Asheville, redistricted to lean R. Incumbent Lindsey has consistently voted to protect the environment, and she is a fervent advocate for funding resilient infrastructure, improving stormwater management, and incentivizing clean energy. During the 2023 legislative session, she was the primary sponsor of five climate-related bills focused on clean energy, agriculture, and conservation. (Climate Cabinet)

Florida

State House

Florida has a strongly Republican state legislative map.

David Arreola for House District 22: open seat against Chad Johnson (R). As Gainesville’s youngest ever Commissioner, Arreola led on environmental action by passing a zero waste ordinance, chairing the environmental justice committee, and passing energy efficiency requirements for new rental units. He’s running for state legislature to update Florida’s environmental and climate policy like the state’s highest-in-the-nation property insurance rates which need to include the risk evaluation of rising sea levels and the increased danger of storm surges. The district reaches from Gainesville to Cedar Key, one of the coastal communities obliterated by Hurricane Helene.

Nate Douglas for House District 37: northeast Orlando including the University of Central Florida. Douglas is an environmental advocate and substitute teacher who was first elected to public office in 2020 as a Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor. If elected, he’ll push for the expansion of public transit and propose legislation to set an aggressive carbon emissions target in Florida that could pave the way for green union jobs. He is running against incumbent Susan Plasencia (R). (Lead Locally)

Sarah Henry for House District 38: Altamonte Springs. Henry is a nonprofit professional whose running to flip a Republican district from incumbent David Smith and act on on climate by ending the ban on the usage of “climate change” in state energy policy, pass a state climate action plan, protect green spaces like the Little Wekiva River, and protect reproductive rights. (Lead Locally)

Tallahassee

Tallahassee was spared the brunt of Hurricane Helene when it tracked east just before landfall. Tallahassee manages one of the largest public utilities in the state, and getting them to move to 100% clean energy is incredibly important.

Jack Porter for Tallahassee City Commission District 1: Jack Porter is running for reelection to the Tallahassee City Commission, where she has voted to approve its Clean Energy Plan — a guide for the city to run on net 100% renewable energy by 2050. (Lead Locally)

Dot Inman-Johnson for Tallahassee City Commission District 2: Inman-Johnson was formerly elected as the first Black woman on Tallahassee’s City Commission where she voted against a proposed coal plant and fought for climate and environmental justice action in the city. She’s running to regain a seat to restore protections for the environment and community health in the city. (Lead Locally)

Georgia

Incumbent Ted Terry for DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner: Perhaps most known outside Georgia for his appearance on Queer Eye, Terry’s been a strong advocate for climate action in the county. He recently proposed a DeKalb Green New Deal that would fund clean and efficient energy, nature conservation programs, and mandate environmental justice and equity in government programs. (Lead Locally)

State House

Georgia’s legislative districts were blatantly gerrymandered by the Republican majority in 2023.

Incumbent Farooq Mughal for House District 105: in northeast Lawrenceville. Mughal helped organize the state’s first Asian American Legislative Day and has championed green technology, good paying renewable energy jobs, and action on climate change in office. His district was hit by flooding and power outages. (Lead Locally, Climate Cabinet)

Incumbent Jasmine Clark for House District 108: Dr. Clark is a microbiology professor at Emory University who ties her scientific background to her activism as the former Director for the state’s March for Science. As an incumbent legislator, she has worked to tackle coal ash pollution, expand solar, and support state climate action. (Lead Locally, Climate Cabinet)

Laura Murvartian for House District 48: Peachtree Corners vs. incumbent Scott Hilton (R). Murvartian is the founder of a community library that’s given away nearly 60,000 books to Latino children and a nonprofit that supports Latino professional creatives. She’s running to support policies that reduce plastic use, protect GA’s waterways, and incentivize electric vehicles. The district was hit by power outages from downed trees and power lines. (Lead Locally)

Michelle Kang for House District 99: Suwanee vs incumbent Matt Reeves (R): Kang has held countless roles that uplifted Asian American voices and government participation in Georgia. She’s running with a platform that supports green infrastructure, environmental justice, climate education, and renewable energy workforce development. (Lead Locally)

Susie Greenberg for House District 53: vs. incumbent Deborah Silcox (R) in a gerrymandered district from Roswell down to Buckhead. Among many other roles, Greenberg is an activist with Moms Demand Action. Some of her top priorities if elected are to increase her district’s climate resilience for extreme weather events by investing in local infrastructure. Power outages from downed trees and power lines. (Lead Locally)