The recent failed effort in the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal legislation that transitions the country to more energy-efficient light bulbs is an indicator of the political momentum shifts related to climate change legislation since last November's election.

Just as they have done with the current debt-ceiling debate, ideologues in the Republican Party are exerting influence that, in my opinion, is disproportionate to mainstream sentiment.

Caught in the middle are more traditional Republicans, who feel compelled to align with hard-liners in their own party, in part because their base is important for primary elections, and in part due to the failure of climate change supporters to put forward a compelling message that appeals to average Americans.

With regard to the light bulb legislation, this dynamic in the Republican Party is best represented by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the current chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As previously noted on GreenBiz, Rep. Upton removed his original support from his website and replaced it with the following statement: "The public response on this issue is a clear signal that markets -- not governments -- should be driving technological advancements."

More broadly, flipping support for climate change legislation can be found in the current crop of GOP presidential hopefuls. Two examples bear highlighting:

• In 2008, Newt Gingrich and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi co-created a YouTube video ad to advocate for bipartisan action against climate change. But Gingrich has since flipped his stance, recently stating that climate change is "the newest excuse to take control of lives" by "left-wing intellectuals."
• Tim Pawlenty made numerous efforts to address climate change while Governor of Minnesota. In March 2011, Pawlenty repealed his support and went so far as to issue a public apology for his prior position, calling it "a mistake ... stupid ... [and] wrong."

Mitt Romney is the only major GOP contender who has refused to flip on this issue. Still, even he has avoided calling for legislation to rein in greenhouse gas emissions in order to ward off criticism from the conservative base of the party.

Next page: 4 Ways to Reframe the Debate