One of the most interesting things about that Sean Trende article is that it confirms that cap-and-trade was a big factor. Sure, the environmental groups (who might be termed “deniers” if you applied their own offensive rhetoric to them) will say that a vote for cap-and-trade only accounted for a 1 point swing. But that’s across the board. You know Henry Waxman and Ed Markey didn’t lose votes based on their support for the Cap’n, in fact they probably gained some. But in a whole bunch of elections, it was a much bigger factor than that. We mustn’t forget that Joe Manchin was a likely loser before he literally fired a bullet right through the heart of the cap-and-trade bill.

So, outside the liberal heartlands, it is clear that acceding to the demands of the environmental lobby is a clear vote-loser. Their desperate attempts to avoid blame, reported in Politico today, have a train-wreck quality about them. They can’t be allowed to get away with it, and incoming congressmen and their staff, to say nothing of those returning to office, should be aware that the environment isn’t a “free” issue area anymore, where Republicans can look fluffy for supporting the radical left and Democrats in blue-collar districts can claim to be supporting other members of the coalition at their constituents’ expense. Ironic, isn’t it, that NRDC, EDF and the rest should turn out to be, well, toxic.

Or radioactive, even.