Union honing in on key races
By SHERRY HALBROOK
The PEF Executive Board has endorsed political candidates for nearly 230 offices
in the elections this fall.
The board’s decisions came based on recommendations that followed months of
careful scrutiny, debate and review of candidates and their records by the
union’s regional and statewide political action committees.
“We support the candidates who have worked well with us in the past and who we
believe are most likely to support legislation and issues important to PEF
members in their districts,” said PEF President Ken Brynien.
“It’s important for PEF members to understand we all work very hard to make
these endorsements wisely, and we depend to a great extent on our hundreds of
PEF PALs (political action liaisons) and other activists across the state.”
PEF assigns to each state legislator and member of the House of Representatives
a PEF PAL from their district to stay in touch and keep them informed about
PEF’s positions on legislation and other issues such as the potential effect of
budget cuts on state services.
These PALs also keep PEF informed about the legislator’s responsiveness to PEF
issues, and how the union can build support for legislative efforts through
testimony at hearings or joint press conferences.
“It’s just as important for our members to cast well-informed votes on November
7, as it is for legislators to cast well-informed votes on the bills that come
before them,” said PEF Vice President Joe Fox, who heads the statewide PAC.
PEF is focusing its greatest campaign support on endorsed candidates in
exceptionally tough races where the union feels it might make the difference
between a win or loss.
Among these targeted races are those of Democrat Donna Lupardo, the incumbent in
the 126th Assembly District, and Nick Spano, a Republican, running for
re-election in the 35th Senate District.
“Both Lupardo and Spano have sponsored and strongly supported our Go Public
bills and other legislation,” Fox said. “Lupardo is just completing her first
term in the Assembly and Spano had an extremely close election last time, so
they can certainly use our help.”
“Of course, we will be involved in many other races as well,” Fox said,
“including those for governor and other top state offices and for U.S. Senate
and Congress.
“Some of the candidates we endorsed are running for the first time for these
offices and also need lots of help from our members in their districts. That’s a
great opportunity for us to make a strong, positive impression on a new
legislator right from the start of his or her career,” Fox added.
If you would like to know more about the candidates PEF has endorsed or, better
yet, volunteer to work on a campaign, contact your regional coordinator or PAC
chair, or call the PEF Legislative Department at 1 800 724-4997.
PEF Executive Board endorses candidates in ’06
races
The PEF Executive Board has endorsed the political candidates reported here for
the November 7 General Election. In some districts, no candidates were endorsed,
as noted below.
The endorsements are based on interviews and reviews of individual candidates’
voting records and qualifications, followed by recommendations from PEF’s
regional and statewide Political Action Committees.
PEF will review its endorsements following the September 12 primaries, and may
add or replace some endorsements accordingly.
All candidates listed below are endorsed. Parties are listed in their ballot
order; however, in a few cases, not all parties fit in the space. Those whose
names are printed entirely in UPPERCASE
are NOT
incumbents.
Endorsed candidates facing primary elections are indicated in boldface along
with the party involved. Those printed both in
UPPERCASE and
boldface
are non-incumbents facing primaries.
Information provided here is based on filings certified August 7 by the NYS
Board of Elections.
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