PRESS RELEASE

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND ENDORSES BOB LORD IN ARIZONA'S 3RD DISTRICT

Entrenched incumbent Shadegg sides with Big Oil over Arizonans

Washington, DC ---Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today entered Arizona politics for the first time this cycle, announcing its endorsement of third district candidate, Bob Lord, the Democrat challenger to Rep. John Shadegg (R). Lord is running on a platform of energy independence, with a determination to put Arizona's natural and most abundant asset, sunshine, to good use.

"If elected, Bob Lord will pursue real energy solutions that break America's dependence on foreign oil. His forward-thinking attitude, in contrast with his opponent's sheltering of Big Oil, made our endorsement a no-brainer", said Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund president, Rodger Schlickeisen.

Rep. Shadegg scored just 10% on Defenders Action Fund's 2007 Conservation Report Card, and has a lifetime score of just 4%. He also received a zero from Republicans for Environmental Protection in 2007. Throughout his career in Congress, Shadegg has received nearly half a million dollars from the energy and natural resources industry; a familiar trait of those in Congress who consistently oppose renewable, clean energy solutions.

"Shadegg has been in Congress for nearly twenty years, and if he can't see the problems that need fixing in Washington now, he never will," continued Schlickeisen. "He has consistently used his membership on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to promote the special interests at the expense of the public interest. Bob Lord is a fresh face with the will and the drive to bring about the change that millions of Americans are looking for in this election, and we are proud to offer him our endorsement."

Defenders Action Fund's endorsement of Lord is part of its biennial Conservation Majority Project, the goal of which is to install a permanent congressional majority that will implement meaningful conservation measures nationwide. In 2006, DAF targeted 26 different House races as part of the project and will be targeting 15-20 different races this cycle.

###

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.