WA’s new climate laws give Inslee a boost. But will they help his White House bid?

Especially now that other presidential candidates, notably former Texas U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, are starting to unveil their own detailed plans for fighting climate change, Inslee’s recent legislative accomplishments could help set him apart, said Todd Donovan, a professor of political science at Western Washington University.

“He doesn’t just have a vision, he’s got something actually done — so when Beto takes his lines, he can say he’s actually doing stuff," Donovan said, referring to a recent dust-up in which O’Rourke used language similar to that used by Inslee to talk about climate change.