Environmental group favorite Perriello loses to Republican Robert Hurt

Rep. Tom Perriello (Va.) — one of the most vulnerable freshman Democrats and a favorite of environmental groups for his unabashed support of last year’s cap-and-trade bill — has lost his fight against Republican Robert Hurt.

While President Obama praised Perriello Friday for his “political courage” in siding with his administration and taking tough votes, Hurt went after him for standing with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on her “signature issues.”

The League of Conservation Voters and Sierra Club spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to protect Perriello through TV and radio ads attacking Hurt.

One ad alleging a conflict of interest with Hurt’s vote in favor of a feasibility study looking at the safety of uranium mining in the state was particularly controversial.