Editor’s note: the election digest tracks lawmakers whose constituencies include Department of Energy nuclear sites.
Most lawmakers with big nuclear constituencies look, as usual, safe to win reelection this November. However, a few are retiring and some are in tight races. The Exchange Monitor’s election digest is tracking them all.
Among the expected Senate retirees was Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), who was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to serve the remainder of the late Dianne Feinstein’s term. California includes the Energy Technology Engineering Center, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a satellite campus of the Sandia National Laboratories, the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the San Onofre Nuclear Generating System, among others.
Safe
The rest of the Hill’s nuclear cohort appears likely to be reelected without trouble. The list of safe-seeming incumbents is:
- Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.). Missouri District 5 includes the Kansas City Plant.
- Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.). New Mexico District 3 includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- Rep. Charles Fleischmann (R-Tenn.). Tennessee District 3 includes the Oak Ridge Site, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex.
- Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.). Nevada District 4 includes the Nevada National Security Site.
- Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas). Texas District 13 includes the Pantex Plant.
- Rep. Kevin Mullen (D-Calif.). California District 15 includes the Sandia National Laboratory’s California campus, located near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Rep. Michael Simpson (R-Idaho). Idaho District 2 contains the Idaho Site and the Idaho National Laboratory.
- Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.). New Mexico District 1 includes the Sandia National Laboratory.
- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). California District 14 includes the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.). South Carolina District 2 includes the Savannah River Site.
In addition to the list of seemingly safe Representatives are the Senators likely to retain their seats. These Senators include:
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
- Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Ohio)
- Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
- Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.)