The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) released an ad today pressuring GOP Rep. Mark Kirk to support the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation (the spot will appear on cable stations in the region).  It notes that while Kirk "has had a record of safeguarding our environment ... some extreme voices are pressuring Kirk to block clean energy legislation, even thought it would jump start our economy and cut oil imports." Watch it:

Back in March, the North Shore Republican said he thought "this may not be the time" to tackle climate change in Congress. But as Grist's David Jenkins reported last month, he and several other environmentally-minded GOP members came back to the negotiating table:

It is not obvious in the press, but there are actually quite a few Republicans in Congress who take climate change seriously, and whose input could help produce a balanced climate bill that is capable of garnering more bipartisan support. [...]

Rep. Mary Bono Mack (CA-45), the lone Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee to vote in favor of the bill on Thursday, recently joined Mike Castle (DE), Vernon Ehlers (MI-3), Mark Kirk (IL-10), and John McHugh (NY-23) to outline a set of climate principles and encouraged House leaders to find common ground on the issue.

Unfortunately, these thoughtful, stewardship-minded Republicans and others like them are being hamstrung on one side by GOP leaders who are intent on poisoning the debate, and on the other, by Democrats who have been reluctant to give them a seat at the negotiating table.

EDF isn't the only advocacy organization pressuring Kirk on the Waxman-Markey bill.  The Environmental Law and Policy Center also started an online action campaign last week that aims "to help him make the right choice."