CWA Political Activists Focus on Key '07 Elections

While the push is on to take back the White House in 2008, CWA and other unions are already building momentum, mobilizing behind key races up for grabs this November in Virginia, Kentucky and New Jersey.

Working closely with the state AFL-CIO and central labor councils, CWA volunteers are precinct walking in Virginia, hoping to gain four seats in the state House and 11 in the Senate for a majority in both houses.

"It's important for our members to get somebody into office who will actually work for us and for working families," said Scott Wilson, a Local 2252 member. He is working four days a week on the election.

A key race in Northern Virginia is Chap Petersen (D) vs. incumbent Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis (R) for the 34th District Senate seat. Locals 2222, 2252 and AFA Council 21 have participated in Labor-to-Neighbor walks on Saturdays since Sept. 29, and are phone banking to union members' homes Monday through Thursday.

CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach went door-to-door in the Norfolk area on Oct. 13, talking with union members about the differences between Dr. Ralph Northam (D) and state Senate incumbent Nick Rerras (R). Working full time on politics with the Greater Tidewater Central Labor Council are CWA members Matt Yeargin of Local 2205 and Byron Taylor of Local 2202.

In southwestern Virginia where Adam Tomer (D) is challenging state Rep. Danny Marshall (R), IUE-CWA Local 82161 member Cindi Arrington is working full-time  coordinating volunteers from CWA Local 2204 and IUE-CWA Locals 82161, 82162 and 82167.

In Kentucky, Democrat Steve Beshear has a good chance of unseating incumbent Ernie Fletcher (R) in the governor's race. "I don't think CWA has a local in the state that's not out beating the bushes to win this one," said Beverly Hicks, assistant to District 3 Vice President Noah Savant.

CWA President Larry Cohen was in Kentucky last week meeting with hundreds of members and stressing the importance of the election. Various polls last week showed Beshear with leads ranging from 53 percent to 72 percent. "Still," said Hicks, "We're not taking any chances."

CWA Representative Karen Murphy and Local 3372 member Jan Garkovich are working fulltime to get out the vote.  "They had an AFL-CIO phone bank last weekend and we had so many people, we had some in the hallways using cell phones," Hicks said.

All across New Jersey, locals are working to put  and keep friends in the state House and Senate, with all 120 seats up for election, said CWA Representative Don Rice.

"This is all about pushing our legislative agenda," Rice said. "It's important because the decisions they make in Trenton affect our members' lives, whether its health care, pension bargaining rights, wage levels – they're all impacted."

Some of the tightest races, he said, are Districts 1 and 2, Atlantic Cape May; District 8, Burlington County in the south of the state; and District 12, mostly Monmouth County; and District 14 in central New Jersey.