ELECTION
1st CD candidates make their case at labor forum
UPDATE: Here is TVW coverage of labor’s 1st CD Candidate Forum held March 23 at the Machinists Hall in Everett:
EVERETT –The new 1st Congressional District in Northwest Washington is a wide open race in 2012. The U.S. House seat being vacated by Rep. Jay Inslee is in a district that was deliberately redrawn to make it a “swing” district, with equal parts traditionally Democratic and Republican voters. Of the new 1st CD, redistricting Commissioner Slade Gorton said it “may easily be the most evenly divided congressional district in the United States of America.”
The 1st CD race has attracted lots of candidates, which means unions face a challenge determining which candidate will be the best champion for working families. The Washington State Labor Council and the AFL-CIO Central Labor Councils in the new 1st CD will host a Candidate Forum from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 23 at the Everett Machinists Union Hall, 8729 Airport Road.
All union leaders and staff, labor PAC members, COPE delegates, and rank-and-file union members are invited to attend and hear where the candidates stand on important working family issues. (Download the event flier.) The forum, which will be moderated by Enrique Cerna of KCTS 9-TV, is co-sponsored by the M.L. King County Labor Council, the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council, the Snohomish County Labor Council, and the WSLC.
The candidates who have formally announced they are running for the 1st CD seat are Democrats Darcy Burner, Suzan DelBene, state Rep. Roger Goodman, state Sen. Steve Hobbs, Darshan Rauniyar and Laura Ruderman, Republican John Koster, and Independent Larry Ishmael. All have been invited and are encouraged to participate in the March 23 forum.
Delegates from affiliated unions across the state will consider making an endorsement in the race at the WSLC’s COPE Convention scheduled for Saturday, May 5 in Seattle.
If you plan to attend the March 23 forum, please RSVP via email to Justine Winnie and include your name, address, union, county, and any guests you plan to bring. If you have a question for the candidates, include that with your RSVP.
Parking at the Machinists Hall in Everett is very limited, so please arrange carpools.
For more information, call the WSLC at 206-281-8901.
CHECK OUT THE UNION DIFFERENCE in Washington: higher wages, affordable health and dental care, job and retirement security.
FIND OUT HOW TO JOIN TOGETHER with your co-workers to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and a voice at work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!
