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Green groups are pouring millions into the Michigan Senate race, running TV advertisements about climate change and pollution that attack the Republican and support the Democrat.

But it鈥檚 unclear whether the climate messaging has had any effect. In fact, recent polls show that Democratic Rep. Gary Peters's , with Republican Terri Lynn Land trailing a mere six percentage points. Other polling indicates the race is even tighter.

So why harp on climate change if it鈥檚 not necessarily resonating with Michigan voters? It鈥檚 all about strategy for green groups. They鈥檙e aiming to invest in candidates who will support green issues in office, even if green issues aren鈥檛 voters鈥� top priority.

鈥淭hey have to have electoral success,鈥� says Robert Brulle, a professor of sociology and environmental science at Drexel University in Philadelphia. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛 just go around and inform the public.鈥�

On Wednesday, the League of Conservation聽Voters released the latest climate-related television ad of the cycle 鈥� a that ties Ms. Land to the industrialist billionaire Koch brothers and accuses her of 鈥渋gnoring the science鈥� of climate change.

鈥淚f I was targeting elections, I would target districts where climate can make a difference 鈥� and that may be what鈥檚 happening in Michigan,鈥� Mr. Brulle says. 鈥淭he League of Conservation Voters is targeting places where they think they can win.鈥�

And if it works in Michigan, the state could serve as a case study for how to back so-called 鈥渃limate hawks,鈥� like Representative Peters, in moderate states like Michigan.

Climate change has become central to the race, in a state that once thrived on an oil-guzzling, emissions-heavy auto industry. The League of Conservation Voters and NextGen Climate, a group backed by environmentalist billionaire Tom Steyer, have into the race already.

In Land鈥檚 corner, the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity has funneled millions into the competitive race, which could determine whether Republicans take back control of the US Senate.

鈥淭erri Lynn Land ignores climate science even though Michigan just experienced massive floods and an algae bloom that threatened drinking water,鈥� says Daniel Weiss, the League of Conservation Voters鈥� senior vice president for campaigns, in a statement Wednesday.

In response, Land has accused Peters of being mercenary in his support of green issues.

鈥淐ongressman Peters is willing to sell his position to the highest bidder, and right now that鈥檚 the billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer,鈥� Land in a written statement.

But Land also has benefited from billionaire-backed advertisements peddling issues that may not matter to voters.

鈥淟ong after there was anything to be gained from attacking Peters on Obamacare, they were still attacking him on Obamacare,鈥� Michigan pollster Bernie Porn said of pro-Land .

Voters in Michigan may respond differently to climate messaging based on a variety of factors 鈥� ranging from high gas prices to current events like algae blooms in Lake Michigan.

And in the聽long term, more Democratic candidates are likely to run on climate issues.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e decided this is a political issue on which they can win,鈥� Brulle says.

But on some environmental issues, Peters may still run counter to popular opinion. According to Mr. Porn, there鈥檚 indication that Land has successfully attacked Peters鈥檚 opposition to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

鈥淕roups have attacked him on Keystone, and they keep coming back to it,鈥� Porn says. 鈥淚鈥檓 assuming that resonates with people more than other things they鈥檝e been testing.鈥�