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The Administration Hit List — 6 Crucial Races: Taking Aim at Working Family Allies
For working families, the stakes in this year’s mid-term Congressional elections have never been greater. And the contrast between candidates has never been more pronounced.
The Bush Administration and its anti-worker allies have targeted key supporters of CWA’s working families agenda. The outcome of these races — the Administration’s Senate “Hit List” — will be crucial in deciding which party gains control of the Senate.
Iowa — Throughout his 18 years in the Senate, Sen.Tom Harkin has been one of the leading fighters for working families, compiling a virtually unparalleled record of advocacy on workers’ rights, trade, jobs, education, health care and retirement security. His opponent, Rep. Greg Ganske (R-Iowa) has sided against the interests of working families more than 75 percent of the time in U.S. House votes.
South Dakota — Despite compiling an impressive record of leadership and support for working families, Sen. Tim Johnson faces a tough reelection contest against Rep. John Thune (R-S.D.). Many national political analysts consider this to be the closest Senate race in the country. Far right Republicans and a host of wealthy special interests are pouring money and resources into the Thune campaign, hoping a Johnson defeat would embarrass South Dakota’s other senator, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Minnesota — In his 12 years in the U.S. Senate, no one has fought harder to advance the quality of life and standard of living for CWA members in Minnesota and around the country than Sen. Paul Wellstone. Because of that record his election campaigns have always been very close and this year is no different. His opponent is St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, a former Democrat who became a Republican to gain that party’s gubernatorial nomination in 1998. Supported strongly by the Bush administration, Coleman would be beholden to the anti-worker, pro-big business philosophy if elected.
Missouri — Missouri’s voters couldn’t have a clearer choice in their state’s U.S. Senate race between Democrat Jean Carnahan, who voted for working families 93 percent of the time in 2001, and former U.S. Rep. Jim Talent, whose working family voting record in 2000 (his last year in office)
was zero.
Georgia — In his first term, Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) has proven to be a strong advocate of working family issues such as health care, stopping corporate abuses, pension protection and Social Security. This year he faces a tough opponent in Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), a staunch conservative and supporter of the extremist House Republican leadership. Cleland voted for working families 81 percent of the time in 2001, compared to just 17 percent for Chambliss.
New Jersey — In Democrat Sen. Robert Torricelli, New Jersey voters have a fighter for CWA members and working families. In his Republican opponent, Douglas Forrester, they have a businessman who made a $50 million fortune by inflating the cost of prescription drugs. In 2001, Torricelli sided with working families 94 percent of the time on key votes. By contrast, Forrester is a member and the recipient of strong support from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which opposes workers’ rights, health and safety protections, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and minimum wage increases.
This portion of this website is paid for by the CWA Committee on Political Education - Political ontributions Committee, with voluntary contributions from union members and their families, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
The Bush Administration and its anti-worker allies have targeted key supporters of CWA’s working families agenda. The outcome of these races — the Administration’s Senate “Hit List” — will be crucial in deciding which party gains control of the Senate.
Iowa — Throughout his 18 years in the Senate, Sen.Tom Harkin has been one of the leading fighters for working families, compiling a virtually unparalleled record of advocacy on workers’ rights, trade, jobs, education, health care and retirement security. His opponent, Rep. Greg Ganske (R-Iowa) has sided against the interests of working families more than 75 percent of the time in U.S. House votes.
South Dakota — Despite compiling an impressive record of leadership and support for working families, Sen. Tim Johnson faces a tough reelection contest against Rep. John Thune (R-S.D.). Many national political analysts consider this to be the closest Senate race in the country. Far right Republicans and a host of wealthy special interests are pouring money and resources into the Thune campaign, hoping a Johnson defeat would embarrass South Dakota’s other senator, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Minnesota — In his 12 years in the U.S. Senate, no one has fought harder to advance the quality of life and standard of living for CWA members in Minnesota and around the country than Sen. Paul Wellstone. Because of that record his election campaigns have always been very close and this year is no different. His opponent is St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, a former Democrat who became a Republican to gain that party’s gubernatorial nomination in 1998. Supported strongly by the Bush administration, Coleman would be beholden to the anti-worker, pro-big business philosophy if elected.
Missouri — Missouri’s voters couldn’t have a clearer choice in their state’s U.S. Senate race between Democrat Jean Carnahan, who voted for working families 93 percent of the time in 2001, and former U.S. Rep. Jim Talent, whose working family voting record in 2000 (his last year in office)
was zero.
Georgia — In his first term, Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) has proven to be a strong advocate of working family issues such as health care, stopping corporate abuses, pension protection and Social Security. This year he faces a tough opponent in Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), a staunch conservative and supporter of the extremist House Republican leadership. Cleland voted for working families 81 percent of the time in 2001, compared to just 17 percent for Chambliss.
New Jersey — In Democrat Sen. Robert Torricelli, New Jersey voters have a fighter for CWA members and working families. In his Republican opponent, Douglas Forrester, they have a businessman who made a $50 million fortune by inflating the cost of prescription drugs. In 2001, Torricelli sided with working families 94 percent of the time on key votes. By contrast, Forrester is a member and the recipient of strong support from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which opposes workers’ rights, health and safety protections, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and minimum wage increases.
This portion of this website is paid for by the CWA Committee on Political Education - Political ontributions Committee, with voluntary contributions from union members and their families, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.