Massachusetts AFL-CIO Announces Endorsements for 2006 Elections

Utility Workers Union of America Local 369, Braintree, Massachusetts, June 22, 2006 – The Executive Council of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is proud to announce the following endorsements voted on in our Executive Council Committee On Political Education (COPE) meeting this morning:

For United States Congress:
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Congressman John Olver, First Congressional District
Congressman Richard Neal, Second Congressional District
Congressman Jim McGovern, Third Congressional District
Congressman Barney Frank, Fourth Congressional District
Congressman Marty Meehan, Fifth Congressional District
Congressman John Tierney, Sixth Congressional District
Congressman Ed Markey, Seventh Congressional District
Congressman Michael Capuano, Eight Congressional District
Congressman Stephen Lynch, Ninth Congressional District
Congressman William Delahunt, Tenth Congressional District

For Massachusetts Constitutional Officers:
No endorsement in race for Governor at this time. A statement on this decision can be found here.
Mayor Tim Murray for Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth
District Attorney Martha Coakley for Attorney General of the Commonwealth
Treasurer Tim Cahill for Treasurer of the Commonwealth
Secretary William Galvin for Secretary of the Commonwealth
Auditor Joseph DeNucci for Auditor of the Commonwealth

For Open Seats in the State Legislature:
Representative Gale Candaras for State Senate in the 1st Hampden & Hampshire district
Former Representative Chris Hodgkins for State Senate in the Berkshire, Hampshire & Franklin district
Michael Hennessy, a member of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, for State Representative in the 15th Essex district
Angelo Puppolo for State Representative in the 12th Hampden district
Willie May Allen for State Representative in the 6th Suffolk district
William Brownsberger for State Representative in the 24th Middlesex district
Allen McCarthy for State Representative in the 7th Plymouth district
Steven D’Amico for State Representative in the 4th Bristol district
Paul Feeney, a member of IBEW Local 2222, for State Representative in the 1st Bristol district
Ray Gottwald for State Representative in the 4th Barnstable district

For Challengers to Anti-Labor Incumbent Legislators:
Kate Jackson for State Representative in the 2nd Bristol district against Representative John Lepper
Carol Bousquet for State Representative in the 1st Middlesex district against Representative Robert Hargraves
Greg Hanley for State Representative in the 6th Plymouth district against Representative Daniel Webster, who has the worst labor voting record in the entire legislature
Nate Kaplan for State Representative in the 1st Worcester district against Representative Lewis Evangelidis

For Incumbent Legislators Seeking Re-Election:
The Massachusetts AFL-CIO Executive Council decided to postpone the release of endorsements of all incumbent legislators seeking re-election until the Massachusetts State Legislature has successfully passed to completion an acceptable minimum wage bill.

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO will hold another COPE meeting in September to take up endorsements for the General Election.

Special Friends of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO for the 2006 elections will be determined at a later date.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert J. Haynes made the following statement regarding these endorsements: “We are proud to endorse these candidates who have demonstrated their solid commitment to working families and look forward to putting our time, organization, resources, energy, and passion into electing these pro-worker candidates to these important political offices.”

Please read the accompanying statement on the decision to not endorse at this time in the campaign for Governor.

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The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is the largest umbrella labor organization in the Commonwealth, representing hundreds of thousands of working families from member unions and serves as the voice of working families in Massachusetts. Offices are located at 389 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. For additional information, call 781-324-8230 or visit www.massaflcio.org. Robert J. Haynes is the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Tim Sullivan is the contact for the press and may be reached at (781) 324-8230.