Democrats’ historic wins in Tuesday’s midterm elections will give them control of Congress and a chance to combat the Trump administration’s anti-climate agenda, but the president’s veto power will limit their options. 

At the state level, however, Democrats’ victories offer immediate opportunities to advance clean energy as well as energy affordability. 

Democrats flipped governor’s seats in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas — and likely Alaska. They won control of both houses of state legislatures in five states where they did not previously have it — Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — and their chances are looking good in Arizona as well. Come January, Democrats will have trifectas — hold the governor’s office and both houses of the legislature — in 21 or more states, up from 16, adding at least Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Democrats also broke Republican trifectas in Georgia, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas. 

States hold significant power over key facets of energy policy, including what kinds of power plants utilities can build or must shut down, how energy-efficient buildings must be, and how much pollution industries can emit. 

“ Almost every policy you can think of to decarbonize our economy, except maybe border adjustment taxes, can be done at a state level,” Jay Inslee, former governor of Washington state, said at a Wednesday press conference.

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