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US House, NE-02

Tony Vargas

ON THE ISSUES

  • Outspoken about the need to tackle the climate crisis and support Nebraska’s clean energy economy in the Nebraska legislature
  • Introduced legislation that would increase penalties for environmental disasters from fracking and drilling in Nebraska
  • Led efforts to electrify Nebraska's school buses

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WHY THIS RACE MATTERS

  • Toss-up race
  • This race was on of the most competitive in the country in 2022 with the anti-environment incumbent winning by just under 3% of the vote 
  • Flipping this seat in Nebraska will help win a pro-environmental majority in the House, making it easier to pass climate legislation at the federal level

Candidate Background

Tony Vargas is running to represent Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. After college, Vargas joined Teach for America and became a public school teacher. In 2013, he was appointed to the Omaha Board of Education. In 2016 he was elected to the Nebraska legislature where he has been outspoken about the need to tackle the climate crisis and support Nebraska’s clean energy economy. This past legislative session, he cosponsored a resolution stating the Legislature has a moral obligation to combat climate change.

Vargas supported every piece of legislation before the state legislature that addresses and would aggressively combat climate change. He’s introduced legislation that would increase penalties for environmental disasters from fracking and drilling in Nebraska and has been a strong advocate for addressing the environmental racism that puts communities of color at risk of more serious, deadly, chronic, and inter-generational health issues. Vargas has also introduced legislation to incentivize energy efficiency and to use the funds the state received from the settlement with Volkswagen to invest in clean school buses and electric vehicles. He is running for Congress on his support for creating good-paying jobs in clean energy, being good stewards of the land and holding polluters accountable. Vargas is endorsed by LCV Action Fund.

Candidate profile pages are paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcvactionfund.org, and authorized by the candidate committee.