AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka announced Tuesday that the union has expanded the number of House races it is playing in this year and, according to the union's new polling, their efforts are helping Democrats close the enthusiasm gap in key races.
The union is going to wade into 100 House districts before Election Day, up from the 80 it originally announced, Trumka said. They are also currently playing in 18 Senate races and 14 governor's races. Including state legislature races, the AFL-CIO is in approximately 400 races country wide.
Trumka also released a new poll that found union members are increasingly enthusiastic about the election as a result of their field program. The nationwide survey found since the AFL-CIO's field program kicked off in July, union members support Democrats 35% more than the general public on a generic ballot test.
There are 37 Democrat held House seats in play this year that have significant union populations, Trumka said. If the AFL-CIO can help Democrats hold on to half of these seats, it would be virtually impossible for the GOP to win back the House.
"Union voters are the firewall for candidates that support working families," Trumka said.
Specifically, Trumka pointed to the Ohio governor's race as an example of where their efforts are already making a difference. The AFL-CIO has dedicated a significant amount of resources to the Buckeye State since July, and recently Gov. Ted Strickland (D) appears to be rebounding some in the polls but still trails former Rep. John Kasich (R).
In the last 30 days, the AFL-CIO has sent out 14.5M mail pieces to union members. The union estimates that approximately 25% to 30% of its members ship is composed of swing voters. In some tight races, the AFL-CIO believes those voters will make the difference. As of Oct. 1, half of the 17.5M union members, retirees and family members the AFL-CIO plans to target this year have been contacted at least once.
Trumka also acknowledged that the AFL-CIO may cut back efforts in some districts if they believe the incumbent Democrat has already lost the race. In one district where there is a significant number of union members, Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper's (D) PA 03, there have already been signs that Democrats are giving up on the race. The DCCC recently cut reserved TV ad reservations in Dahlkemper's district.
Trumka insisted, however, that the AFL-CIO has not pulled out of any races yet
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