Political Action Update

Turning Texas Blue

CWA District 6 VP Claude Cummings with Wendy Davis, who is wearing CWA red to celebrate the endorsement by CWA Texas locals for governor.

CWA Locals in Texas have endorsed Wendy Davis for Governor. CWA has a long relationship with Davis and was the first organization to support her when she first ran for the state Senate in 2008. The conventional wisdom was she couldn't win but Davis, with CWAers' help, pulled off a big upset.

Recently, Wendy electrified Texas voters with her filibuster to block a Republican measure attacking women's health care rights.

LPAT Training in Iowa

Last week in Iowa, about 30 CWA Legislative and Political Action Team activists attended a comprehensive training on the legislative process and how to build our movement to achieve our goals.

Participants got valuable advice from congressional staff and political candidates on what works – and what doesn't – and how to get the attention of elected officials on CWA issues. Legislative grassroots tools, movement building and coalition work were a big part of the training.

CWA LPAT activists talk movement building.

Participants discussed CWA's Political Action Fund program and worked on skills needed to improve participation of CWAers in PAF.

Also joining the session was the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a key CWA partner, and participants discussed issues that both will work on together, particularly money in politics. Citizens Action and Alliance for Retired Americans also joined the training.

A session on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal ended in everyone writing letters to their representative and Senators calling on them to oppose fast track authorization for the deal.