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Once upon a time, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty supported a cap-and-trade plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions.  Cap-and-trade sets an overall limit on pollution and lets businesses bid for  the right to continue emissions.

Now, Pawlenty says his support for cap-and-trade was "a mistake." But he's also pointed out that he's not the only potential Republican candidate who has a mixed record on the issue.

"Everybody in the race - at least the big names in the race - embraced climate change or cap-and-trade at one point or another," 

he said on the March 28, 2011, episode of the Laura Ingraham radio show.

Not every GOP hopeful has tried to tackle climate change, but many of them did.

Pawlenty's spokesman did not respond to questions about who the "big names in the race" are, but it's clear that a number of Republicans who are frequently mentioned as potential candidates have changed their position on climate change.

•	Sarah Palin: As governor of Alaska, Palin formed a subcabinet to tackle climate change, and she became involved in the Western Climate Initiative, a group with the goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. She also supported capping emissions as Sen. John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election. But just months after McCain lost, she wrote in an op-ed that President Barack Obama's cap-and-trade plan was a "threat to our economy."

•	Newt Gingrich: In 2007, the former House Speaker said that "mandatory carbon caps combined with a trading system" is something he would "strongly support," and in 2008, he made an ad with Rep. Nancy Pelosi saying that the country, "must take action to address climate change." Since then, Gingrich has blasted legislation to cap emissions.

•	Mitt Romney: As Massachusetts governor, Romney first supported a regional plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but ultimately backed-off because he feared it would be too expensive for consumers. More recently, he's said that cap-and-trade would have a "devastating impact" on the economy.

•	Mike Huckabee: The former Arkansas governor has also sent mixed messages about his stance on climate change.

Still, there are three potential candidates in the field who have not changed their position on climate change.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has been a leading GOP advocate for climate action, setting a goal to bring Utah's emissions down to 2005 levels by 2020. So far, it appears he's not wavered on the issue.

Meanwhile, it appears former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who once lobbied for energy companies, and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann have never flirted with the idea of supporting cap-and-trade.

Minus Barbour and Bachmann, Pawlenty is right that most potential GOP candidates have "embraced climate change or cap-and-trade at one point or another."

Pawlenty isn't precise on this one, and it's also tough to say just who is and who isn't a big name in the race right now.  He's close enough that his claim passes the PoliGraph test.

 Pawlenty, Doyle and other Midwest governors sign on to global warming pact,

Pawlenty's current climate change stance differs from past 

Palin flips on her support of cap-and-trade

On Global Warming, No Clear Skies For Most 2012 GOP Contenders

 Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich Commercial on Climate Change

Newt Gingrich: Cap-and-trade is 'an energy tax' and a job-killer, 

Gingrich Rips Obama Budget's 'Energy Tax'; OMB Says Higher Costs Offset by Tax Credit, 

 Is Jon Huntsman the greenest GOP presidential hopeful?, 

The Associated Press, The 2008 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates' positions on the issues, by Calvin Woodward, Dec. 18, 2007

The Boston Herald, Romney OK with plan on emissions, July 24, 2003

'Cap and trade'? More like 'tax and spend',

Politics and Government News

Capitol View®

Catharine Richert

Author

Pawlenty right that other potential GOP candidates once favored cap-and-trade

PoliGraph: Pawlenty climate claim right, with caveats

Go Deeper.

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