Democratic Party Now Says Its Position on Energy About Affordability

The November 4, 2025 elections triggered a noticeable shift inside the Democratic Party. After years of leaning heavily into climate-first messaging, Democrats across the country are now recalibrating their priorities heading into the 2026 midterms. The new focus is clear: affordability, reliability, and an all-of-the-above energy approach.

This pivot is driven by political reality. Voters are feeling the pressure of high energy bills, rising living costs, and growing concerns about grid reliability. Democrats have realized that climate messaging alone will not secure congressional majorities next year.

Across the country, Democrats are breaking away from the climate-activist wing of their party. Newly elected governors in states like New Jersey and Virginia ran on energy affordability. Legislators in Massachusetts are openly considering weakening emissions-reduction mandates. Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor has stepped back from efforts to join carbon-limiting compacts.

As one Democratic strategist put it, people only think about energy when the lights go out or when they open their utility bills. That reality is reshaping the national debate.

States facing reliability warnings and soaring electricity prices are now reconsidering restrictive policies and acknowledging the role that natural gas and other firm energy sources play in stabilizing the grid.

If California Democrats were serious about affordability, they would not be ignoring the shutdown of Phillips 66 and Valero’s refineries, which jeopardizes affordability. Serious policymakers would act rapidly and with sobriety over the news that California is losing two more refineries, which will cause gasoline prices to increase over time.

For California’s independent oil producers, this political realignment underscores a point we have raised for years: domestic production is essential to keeping energy affordable and reliable. An all-of-the-above strategy is impossible without local supply. Voters want cleaner energy, but they also want lights that stay on and bills they can afford.