The League of Conservation Voters endorsed Hillary Clinton Monday, giving her a boost from a major environmental group in the Democratic presidential primary.
"When it comes to fighting the climate crisis, the stakes couldn’t be higher -- and we are confident that Hillary Clinton is the right person for the job," LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski said in a statement. "With her proven history of leadership, strong environmental record, and a campaign committed to building a clean energy future, Hillary Clinton is without a doubt the most effective leader to stand up to Big Polluters and push forward an aggressive plan to tackle climate change and get it done."
The Clinton endorsement is the earliest the group has ever come out in favor of a presidential candidate.
LCV President Gene Karpinski and Board Chairwoman Carol Browner, who served as Environmental Protection Agency administrator under President Bill Clinton, will make their announcement Monday during a campaign appearance with the former secretary of state in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has a stronger voting record in Congress than Clinton on environmental issues, according to LCV's scorecard. A spokesman for the group told The Washington Post, which first reported the news of the endorsement, that it counts votes where a lawmaker was absent as a "no" vote, so Clinton's score as a New York senator was lower because she was often away from Washington while running for president in 2008.
In late September, Clinton announced her opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline -- long after her primary competitors had done so. Labor and environmental groups were relieved when she finally made a decision.
LCV spent $30 million in the 2014 elections, a record amount for the group.
Clinton has steadily been amassing endorsements from outside groups, far outpacing both Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).
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