"A group of Democrats who defied their party to oppose a landmark climate bill last year is facing attacks by political challengers from an unexpected direction: Cap and trade is being used against them, despite the fact that they voted no.

Forty-four Democrats broke ranks last summer on the muscular measure seeking to create a carbon limit for thousands of factories and power plants. Many of them represent districts striped with coal veins, or in conservative pockets of the country where congressional seats shift parties like a manual transmission.

Now, those districts could help decide who controls the House. Most of them are fertile ground for Republican challenges; many could change hands. And cap and trade, despite efforts to avert it, is arriving like an uninvited guest in some of them."

Evan Lehmann reports for ClimateWire August 19, 2010. [2]