Foresight 2020: Governor Jay Inslee

Washington Governor Jay Inslee is running for president. His main issue is the fight against climate change. He told BuzzFeed News that he’s “the only candidate in the race who is saying that [climate change] has to be the first priority of the new president. If it's not job one, it won't get done.”

He wants to end all U.S. usage of fossil fuels. Inslee was an early supporter of the Green New Deal, and believes that “investing in a clean energy economy will lead to the creation of millions of jobs,” according to The New York Times.

But Inslee is only polling at 1% in a July 2019 survey of primary and caucus voters conducted by Emerson College.

Here’s how FiveThirtyEight summarized his record as governor of Washington:

…Inslee has built a record of economic growth for which he credits his progressive policies. Among those policies are a minimum wage that is more than 50 percent higher than the federal one, a family leave policy that allows some workers to take up to three months of paid leave for a medical condition or to care for a new child or ailing family member, and a law that requires workers to receive equal pay and career advancement opportunities regardless of gender. Inslee has overseen an expansion of college financial aid for undocumented students and a large-scale transportation infrastructure program.

We speak with Inslee about his political record and his presidential hopes as a part of our series “Foresight 2020.”

Produced by Avery Kleinman.

GUESTS

Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington; @JayInslee

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