And while most of the mobilization will take place after the federation formally endorses a presidential candidate -- which is not expected until after the Feb. 5 round of primaries at the earliest -- the infrastructure for the effort is being built now.
That infrastructure will focus on key swing states, with the federation planning to send staffers early to Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Up to 18 more states may be added to the list later, spokesman Steve Smith said.
Left undecided in the Executive Council session, held Sept. 21, was how labor will pay for its political plans. That will be taken up later in the year, as an endorsement looms.
The federation will concentrate its efforts on more than 50 contested U.S. House races and 13 U.S. Senate races, attempting to increase the pro-worker majority in the House and build a pro-worker majority--overcoming GOP filibusters--in the Senate. Overall, including state legislative races, the federation will be active in hundreds of races, Smith added.
The 13 key Senate races identified by the council\'s political director Karen Ackerman, and its political committee, chaired by AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, include GOP open seats in Virginia and Colorado, endangered Democrats Mary Landrieu (La.) and Tim Johnson (S.D.), and Republicans whom the federation thinks are vulnerable, including Minnesota\'s Norm Coleman.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
Related article
Minnesota unions hope to build on 2006 election success
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And while most of the mobilization will take place after the federation formally endorses a presidential candidate — which is not expected until after the Feb. 5 round of primaries at the earliest — the infrastructure for the effort is being built now.
That infrastructure will focus on key swing states, with the federation planning to send staffers early to Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Up to 18 more states may be added to the list later, spokesman Steve Smith said.
Left undecided in the Executive Council session, held Sept. 21, was how labor will pay for its political plans. That will be taken up later in the year, as an endorsement looms.
The federation will concentrate its efforts on more than 50 contested U.S. House races and 13 U.S. Senate races, attempting to increase the pro-worker majority in the House and build a pro-worker majority–overcoming GOP filibusters–in the Senate. Overall, including state legislative races, the federation will be active in hundreds of races, Smith added.
The 13 key Senate races identified by the council\’s political director Karen Ackerman, and its political committee, chaired by AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, include GOP open seats in Virginia and Colorado, endangered Democrats Mary Landrieu (La.) and Tim Johnson (S.D.), and Republicans whom the federation thinks are vulnerable, including Minnesota\’s Norm Coleman.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
Related article
Minnesota unions hope to build on 2006 election success