Ad shows Republicans take trains and recycle, too

Republicans in Washington are hoping to break free of stereotypes before the election. One way they're doing it is with an online video about environmental awareness.

Thousands of people have viewed the ad on social media.

In it, Republican party staffers say, “I take the train … I ride the bus … I love this environment, I want to protect it. But what you may not guess: We all vote Republican."

It's from the Washington State Republican Party. Chairman Susan Hutchison said it's meant to break stereotypes about Republicans and show that they care about conservation. The ad features people recycling, carpooling to work and installing low-energy light bulbs.

Hutchison said Republicans care about the environment just as much as Democrats — they just attack the issue differently. She said she doesn't believe environmentalists have a broad understanding of how to manage the land.

Hutchison: "And that's why I would much sooner put it into the hands of Republicans who are close to the land. In other words, our farmers, folks who make a living off our natural resources in the timber industry, in fisheries."

Hutchison said the social media ad is also a reminder to people that Republican presidents founded the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Park System.

The state's Democratic and Republican parties have very different platforms, particularly related to climate change.

For example, the state Republican platform says "warming from human-generated greenhouse gases has not been proven and should not be a basis for public policy."

The state Democratic platform calls for "aggressive action to minimize climate change, as global climate change is the foremost threat to survival of Earth."