The Oregon AFL-CIO, the statewide federation of unions representing over 300,000 workers, has announced their first round of endorsements for the 2020 Oregon election season. The majority of these endorsements were made on Friday, March 6 at the Federation’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) Board Meeting. The Federation has endorsed candidates for Federal, Statewide, and State Legislative offices:
U.S. SENATE
Senator Jeff Merkley
CONGRESS
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, CD 1
Congressman Earl Blumenauer, CD 3
Congressman Peter DeFazio, CD 4
OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE
State Senator Shemia Fagan
OREGON STATE TREASURER
Tobias Read
OREGON ATTORNEY GENERAL
Ellen Rosenblum
STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURES
Yes for a Healthy Future
STATE SENATE
State Senator Kathleen Taylor, SD 21
Deb Patterson, SD 10
Kate Lieber, SD 14
State Representative Chris Gorsek, SD 25
STATE HOUSE
State Representative Paul Evans, HD 20
State Representative Rachel Prusak, HD 37
WInsvey Campos, HD 28
Christina Stephenson, HD 33
Dacia Grayber, HD 35
Laurie Wimmer, HD 36
Khanh Pham, HD 46
Ricki Ruiz, HD 50
In addition to these endorsements, several elected officials from both parties received a conditional endorsement that will be finalized once a completed candidate questionnaire is received. Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor explains how the Federation has approached this year’s endorsements:
“Our process is first and foremost driven by our affiliated unions, their issues and priorities, and the working Oregonians they collectively represent. Our Federation made it clear last year that we would not endorse or support any lawmaker who voted against Oregon’s public workers by supporting Senate Bill 1049, or against high road labor standards on subsidized development by voting against HB 2408 during the 2019 Legislative Session and our endorsements reflect that commitment. Additionally, we are proud to endorse a diverse slate of women and people of color in Oregon’s contested Primary elections. Our endorsements provide a roadmap to how we can build a fair and more just economy for ALL workers by electing strong pro-worker candidates and legislators with lived experiences that align with the working people of this state.”
The Oregon AFL-CIO will, once again, be launching the state’s largest independent field program in order to win for working people in 2020. As the May Primary draws closer, the Federation will begin mobilizing volunteers and paid canvassers, host telephone and text banks, and launch a robust communications campaign to educate voters about Labor’s endorsed candidates.