Victory 2008: A Closer Look

Union endorsed candidates in Massachusetts and nationwide are overwhelmingly victorious on Election Day; Labor political program mobilizes members to turn out in record numbers; stage set for crucial legislation to pass in 2009 

Union voters were instrumental in electing and re-electing candidates endorsed by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO in this month’s historic elections.  The Massachusetts AFL-CIO endorsed 104 federal and state legislative candidates and campaigns in the Commonwealth in the November 4^th Election. An impressive 97 were victorious.  Senator Kerry and the entire Massachusetts Congressional Delegation were overwhelmingly re-elected, along with all of the State Federation’s endorsed incumbents and all but one of the endorsed state legislative open seat candidates.  For a full-list of Massachusetts endorsements, click HERE.  Massachusetts union members were also a key component of labor’s victory in New Hampshire, awarding Barack Obama its electoral votes and replacing anti-labor Senator John Sununu with pro-worker Jeanne Shaheen.  The Labor Movement’s victory in the presidential race and the expansion of pro-labor majorities in the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and Massachusetts State Legislature are being considered by many a mandate for broad based economic reform, and to finally begin to level the playing field between workers and employers.  Click HERE for town-by-town presidential election results in Massachusetts.   Click HERE to find Presidential, U.S. Senate and U.S. House election results in New Hampshire. 

Of the 91 Massachusetts AFL-CIO state legislative endorsements, only 39 candidates had to compete in General Election races, the rest were unopposed incumbents. 

• In the State House of Representatives, there were 30 races the Massachusetts AFL-CIO endorsed in: 14 incumbents with challengers, all of whom won re-election; 10 candidates running in open seats, 9 of whom won their race; and 6 candidates challenging well-funded anti-labor incumbents, one of whom is a fellow union member, and all of whom put up strong fights but lost.  Click HERE for a full list of State House election results.
• In the State Senate, there were 9 races the Massachusetts AFL-CIO endorsed in: 5 incumbents with challenges, all of whom won re-election; and 4 candidates running for open seats, all of whom won their races.  In a particularly proud moment, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO helped elect one of its own in firefighter Ken Donnelly,  who overwhelmingly won election to the State Senate in the Fourth Middlesex District.  Click HERE for a full list of State Senate election results.

 

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO waged a strong member outreach campaign on behalf of its endorsed candidates in these state legislative races in the General Election, working to reach campaign fundraising goals, and mobilized union volunteers to supplement events, and run field activities and GOTV operations. Affiliates completed live labor to labor calls to 15 targeted state legislative districts, and were able to get dozens of members to volunteer to work on the labor program for many of these candidates before and on Election Day.  GOTV slick mail pieces were sent to 8,000 union households, as well as a round of GOTV robocalls to members in 15 state legislative districts to over 23,000 union households.  

The resounding defeat of Question 1 was also a tremendous victory for union members in Massachusetts. Question 1 would have immediately decimated jobs and resources all over the Commonwealth by eliminating the state income tax. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO served on the managing committee of the Coalition for Our Communities, the campaign to defeat Question 1, along with AFT-MA, AFSCME Council 93, the MTA, 1199 SEIU, SEIU Local 509, the MNA, other unions, community and civic groups and all organizations provided hundreds of man- and woman-hours to defeat Question 1.  The Massachusetts AFL-CIO, its affiliates and members worked tirelessly to recruit release staff and volunteers, host and fill phone banks, raise money for the Coalition for Our Communities, make sure its membership received local union mail and newsletters urging members to Vote No on Question 1, and sent out numerous e-Activist emails.  The Massachusetts AFL-CIO also sent out a GOTV robocall urging members to Vote No On Question 1, that went out to a total of over 117,000 union households.  Because of labor’s collaborated efforts through the Coalition for Our Communities, Question 1 was defeated handily, with 70 percent of voters casting a “no” vote, the Vote No position winning an amazing 351 out of 351 cities and towns, and “vote no” even receiving more votes than Barack Obama.  Click HERE for a town-by-town election results for Question 1.   

In battleground state New Hampshire, Massachusetts union members were able to help President-Elect Barack Obama win New Hampshire’s 4 electoral votes, and assist AFL-CIO endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen defeat entrenched anti-labor incumbent John Sununu.  Massachusetts union members joined their GraniteState brothers and sisters in knocking on over 97,000 doors, making 273,000 phone calls, distributing 250,000 leaflets at worksites and through the mail, and handwriting more than 13,000 postcards to reach more than 39,000 union members and community affiliates in New Hampshire. This effort resulted in each union member in the state, on average, receiving 15 contacts from their union and fellow union members about the election. Many undecided voters received even more contact with specific information about the candidates' positions and policy proposals on issues that matter most to working families. 

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes remarked, "This time all our work, all our effort, all our passion, every phone call, every labor walk, every conversation with a colleague, every ounce of ourselves that we put into this election, finally, paid off. We finally won the most important election of our lifetime.” He went on to say, “I cannot thank you or congratulate you enough. Enjoy it for a few days. But remember that just as defeat in the past was not the end, this time victory is just the beginning."

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO remains extremely appreciative for all the hours its members and fellow labor political activists gave to phonebanking, leafleting job sites, going door-to-door in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and other battleground states, holding signs, attending rallies and events, and talking to friends, family and co-workers about how important this election was at every level of elected office.   

The Massachusetts AFL-CIO will now focus on pushing its legislative agenda.  Federally, it will work with the National AFL-CIO and other State Federations to ensure that the new Obama-Biden administration and the new Congress start implementing strong solutions to the nation’s growing financial crisis and long-term structural economic decline with a wide range of actions, including an immediate and meaningful economic recovery package, an overhaul of our broken health care system, reform of financial regulations and significant investments in infrastructure, the signing of the Employee Free Choice Act, and economic development in new sectors like clean energy and workforce development.  On the state level, labor will continue to work with the Patrick Administration and the Legislature to push through its legislative priorities.