As the 2024 election unfolds, candidates are doing everything they can to win over undecided swing-state voters. Turns out, support for abundant and affordable American energy is a top priority for these constituents across the country, especially in Pennsylvania.

In fact, within a week of replacing President Biden as the Democratic candidate for President, Kamala Harris walked back her previous call to ban fracking. Considering her support for a ban was so explicit in the 2020 Democratic primary, the move was a clear indication that voters overwhelmingly support the drilling technology that has enabled America to be the biggest producer of oil and natural gas in the world, all while significantly reducing greenhouse emissions.

Fracking, however, isn’t the only important issue to the American energy sector, and much more needs to be done by the next administration to ensure that the industry can lower energy prices for workers and families across the country.

During Tuesday’s debate and throughout the campaign, voters should keep a close eye on where the candidates stand on several key energy issues:

1. Unequivocal and Broad Support for Abundant American Oil and Natural Gas Production

Due to fracking’s ability to access untapped reserves, America has become the biggest producer of oil and natural gas in world history. This relatively recent development has benefitted everyday Americans on numerous levels, including by lowering energy prices, attracting manufacturers, providing well-paying jobs, and insulating our nation from national security threats. American energy development also serves as a buffer to inflation by adding resources to global energy supplies at a time when OPEC+ is attempting to hike prices via supply cuts.

While support for continued energy dominance is important for all Americans, it’s essential to voters in Pennsylvania, which produces nearly three times the total energy it consumes, bringing tremendous benefits to the Keystone state. In 2021, the industry supported more than 423,000 jobs and provided more than $75 billion in economic trade benefits in the state.

Vice President Harris already flip-flopped her stance on fracking once. It’s yet to be seen if her new position on fracking is part of a broader pivot to supporting American oil and natural gas.

2. Permitting Reform To Make All Forms of Energy More Affordable and Available

To enhance America’s energy advantage even further, we need more energy of all forms – whether it be oil, natural gas, renewables, or other forms of new production. But to make a rapid build out of new infrastructure possible, we need permitting reform that ensures transparency, predictability, and timeliness.

Overly restrictive regulations and reams of red tape have made it impossible to build any type of energy project, and the process has been weaponized by opponents of energy progress to stop projects before they even start. Passing permitting reforms, like bills currently working through Congress, will ensure we can build American energy projects needed to lower energy prices today and in the future.

3. Lifting the LNG Pause to Create Jobs, Enhance National Security, and Serve our Allies Abroad

Energy security is national security and America’s energy should be leveraged to protect our allies. As such, regulators should fully and immediately lift the Energy Department’s LNG permitting pause and approve all pending LNG export applications – a move that would follow the order in a district court’s recent injunction. This would ensure the United States stays the top supplier of LNG, displacing higher-emitting fuels and supplying reliable energy to allies in the midst of energy crises.

This is a no-brainer because such production also creates well-paying manufacturing jobs at home, improving local economies across the country. In fact, according to a poll conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers, 87 percent of Americans support continuing natural gas exports, and 76 percent of respondents stated that America should be building more export infrastructure on our soil.

4. Protecting Consumers’ Freedom to Choose The Type of Vehicle They Drive

When it comes to energy, American consumers should have more choices, not fewer. Offering Americans the choice to buy an electric vehicle (EV) is one thing, forcing them to buy one, even when its more expensive, is another. Unfortunately, some in Washington don’t agree.

The Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is attempting to effectively ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks through backdoor tailpipe regulations, which will deprive Americans of access to reliable, affordable modes of transportation. Mandates don’t work and the next President should repeal EPA’s tailpipe rules for new cars and trucks because they do not reflect consumer demand and will create a permanent critical mineral dependence on China and other nations.

5. Rejecting the Billionaire-Funded Campaign to Sue Energy Companies

Any overtures of goodwill towards the American oil and natural gas industry fall flat if a politician supports the activist-backed campaign to “bankrupt” these companies via frivolous litigation.

Support for climate lawsuits against energy companies is another polarizing matter where Harris’s stance has changed over the years – or, at least, continued to be really confusing to most reasonable people following the issue. Back in 2019, she flubbed on the topic during the presidential race, when she claimed that during her time as California Attorney General she “sued ExxonMobil.” This categorically false claim was lambasted by pro-litigation activists and fact-checkers alike.

During her presidential campaign, Harris has not offered any new clarity on whether her stance has changed. In the meantime, pro-litigation activists are pushing Harris to take a more antagonistic stance against energy producers than even the Biden administration.

Bottom line: Americans want clear solutions that will secure U.S. energy leadership and reduce inflation. Candidates have a blueprint to do that and help the country in a bipartisan manner. These aren’t blue-state or red-state issues; they’re energy issues, with implications for every American paying utility bills, gasoline bills, and for every other good that requires energy to bring it to market.

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