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A South Philly native and former climate advisor for the Biden administration is running to replace Dwight Evans as the representative for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District. The crowded field now includes 10 Democratic candidates who will face off in the primary on May 19.

Pablo Iván McConnie-Saad said he’s focused on the connection between affordability and climate change.

“I think people don’t necessarily make that connection,” McConnie-Saad told WHYY News. “But, I think climate change is raising the cost of food, and obviously we’re experiencing increasing energy costs, and that’s also a result of climate change.”

McConnie-Saad pointed to the impact of high heat and floods on food production, which a recent study found is driving up prices.

The Bella Vista resident also said he’s about to be a father.

“It’s not just for myself, it’s also for the next generation,” McConnie-Saad said. “We have to focus on climate. It’s an existential crisis.”

McConnie-Saad worked for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, helping to increase the use of available funds through the Inflation Reduction Act, former President Joe Biden’s signature climate initiative that encouraged clean energy production and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through tax credits, rebates and incentives.

Since taking control of the White House, President Donald Trump has worked to dismantle the initiative and claw back much of the funding. Still, McConnie-Saad said Pennsylvania gained $700 million in investments from the Inflation Reduction Act.

“It was working at the individual level,” McConnie-Saad said. “At the household level, at the organizational level, so small businesses could benefit from it, and so could local governments and state governments. It was providing an opportunity for municipalities, nonprofit, tax-exempt, faith-based organizations to invest and make the transition to renewables, and that was gonna bring down the cost for everyone.”

While affordability is front and center for voters, climate change is not, said Democratic political consultant Neil Oxman.

“If Greenland melted tomorrow, climate would be the No. 1 issue,” Oxman said. “But Greenland’s not melting tomorrow. And so the number one issue is the economic strain that people have.”