Machinist Member Wins US House Seat in Special Election

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/08/23/machinist-member-wins-house-seat-in-special-election/

Back in July Marta and I donated to her campaign after reading about the special election. Act Blue got the tip. :-)

by Mike Hall, Aug 23, 2007

It’s official. Laura Richardson, a Machinist member won—with 67 percent of the vote—a special election Tuesday in California to fill the 37th Congressional District seat left open following the April death of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D).



In July, we told you how Richardson, a member of the California State Assembly, finished at the top of an 18-candidate primary, but was forced into a runoff because she didn’t win a majority. With the continuing help of the Los Angeles labor movement, she took care of that in the four-candidate general election field.

For a number of years, Richardson served on the Long Beach City Council. The Machinists local in Long Beach represents some of the city’s employees.

During the primary, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor mobilized its members to turn out the vote for Richardson, with 1,140 volunteers who knocked on 17,000 union family doors in Long Beach, Compton, Carson and south Los Angeles. They made 45,000 phone calls to union voters and helped distribute some 166,000 pieces of literature. Union activists kept the pace up for the for general election.

FULL story at link.

[billyoc]

1. Outta sight. We need 437 more just like her. n/t

[skids]

2. A hearty welcome to the freshman! n/t