Democrats have made climate change a centerpiece of their campaigns for years — but this year they barely mentioned it.

Why it matters: The midterms showed just how far the topic has fallen down the political priority list, even within the party most committed to addressing it — and suggest affordability will shape how Democrats govern next year.

Driving the news: Democrats up and down the ballot campaigned overwhelmingly on affordability, including fuel prices surging amid President Trump's Iran war and rising electricity bills, accentuated by the AI boom.

The big picture: The relative absence of climate change is striking considering that Democrats of all political stripes won big.

Zoom in: Even some of the party's most prominent climate advocates emphasized affordability over climate change — or reconsidered ambitious climate policies in response to rising costs.

New York Gov.…