Letter: John Curtis has given us the groundwork to have conversations about climate

Young Republicans have been looking to talk about climate change from a conservative perspective for a long time. Thanks to lawmakers like Rep. John Curtis, we are finding more opportunities to do so.

Young conservatives are no strangers to having unpopular opinions. Our political and moral values are challenged regularly at school and at work, and progressivism is often the default political language in these spaces. Communicating about the environment, in particular, has historically been difficult. Absent a robust conversation within the Republican Party about free-market environmental solutions, we have struggled to fight the left’s wave of support for a “Green New Deal” – an agenda that endangers the principles that make America great.

That’s why Republicans need to play offense, and why Rep. Curtis’ leadership has set the stage for a GOP renewal on this issue, on both policy and politics. I’ve witnessed this as Western Regional Chair for Young Republicans, an organization that represents conservative professionals between the ages of 18 and 40. Since Rep. Curtis launched the Conservative Climate Caucus – which now has more than 65 House Republican members – conversations about the environment have become even more so a powerful tool to recruit and retain young voters. Republican lawmakers must understand the significant impact this will have on the competitiveness of our party. Young voters are the future of Republican politics, and we notice when politicians like Rep. John Curtis stand up and lead.

If more elected leaders follow in his stead, and the growing number who have joined the Conservative Climate Caucus, their actions will pay huge dividends for the future of our party and our republic.

Grayson Massey, Holladay