ELECTION EVE RALLY — PEF President Roger Benson joins Sen. Chuck Schumer, US Rep. Mike McNulty and Albany County Executive Mike Breslin in applauding Hillary Clinton at her November 6 rally in Albany. — Photo by Ed Lucas
Nonpartisan support produces victories in 19 targeted tough contests
PEF gets out the vote for candidates in key races throughout New York
By SHERRY HALBROOK
Campaign 2000 blew through New York like a “nor’easter,” but when the skies cleared, PEF’s political-action victories were standing strong.
“We can be very proud of all that PEF members have accomplished in this very intense campaign season,” says PEF President Roger Benson. “We took on responsibility for major efforts in 18 of the toughest state legislative races, as well as Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the US Senate. And every one of those candidates prevailed. In fact, they won by substantial margins.”
PEF Vice President Ken Brynien, who chairs the union’s Political Action Committee and the PEF COPE program, thanked “all PEF members who made the effort to learn about the issues and candidates and vote. And we owe even more to the many PEF activists who helped educate and motivate other voters. Our success proves that when we really pull together, we can accomplish our goals — even when we have set them very high.”
Friends on both sides
As usual, PEF’s non-partisan-endorsement policy meant that its activists in any given region could find themselves phone banking for a Democrat and leafleting for a Republican.
“If a candidate supports us on key issues and will be an effective advocate, that is what matters most,” Brynien says.
Out of a total of 226 candidates (87 Republicans and 139 Democrats) that the union backed this year, 218 of them won, five lost and three (including Al Gore) were in races still too close to call in mid-November as The Communicator went to press.
Only one of the candidates who lost, Bronx state Sen. David Rosado, was an incumbent. However, another incumbent state senator, Manhattan Republican Roy Goodman, was left out on a limb waiting for final tallies of paper ballots to see if he could squeeze ahead in an extremely tight race.
And Republican Assembly Member Leah Jefferson found herself awaiting the results of a recount.
Focusing PEF’s efforts
While the union supports all of the candidates that it endorses, PEF focuses its strongest efforts on key races where its activism could make the difference between winning and losing the election.
These targeted races included nine Republican incumbents in the state Senate and nine Democrats running for the Assembly, as well as Clinton’s US Senate contest.
“We had a strong across-the-board effort for Hillary throughout the state,” says PEF Political Director Robert Bain.
“Her victory,” he says, “following on the heels of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s win two years ago, means we have two important allies in Washington to hear our concerns and fight for the federal laws and programs that will best serve the needs of New York’s working families.”
Supporting Senate allies
“Many of the state legislators we backed are incumbents with proven records. They have been there for us when we needed them,” Bain says. “Many of them hold key committee positions.”
Sen. Nick Spano, for instance, heads the Senate Labor Committee, while Thomas Morahan chairs the Senate’s Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. And Sen. Carl Marcellino is the head of the Senate’s Committee on Environmental Conservation.
The union also targeted the re-election campaign of Assembly Member Eric Vitaliano — a Democrat running in the 60th Assembly District on Staten Island — who, as chair of the Governmental Employees Committee, has been called upon many times to champion the cause of state workers.
Scoring Assembly upset
However, two of the Assembly candidates in targeted races — Francine Delmonte and Amy Paulin — were not incumbents.
“PEF Region 1 Coordinator Joyce Degenhardt led our efforts in Niagara County that helped propel Delmonte to the first upset of an incumbent state legislator in that area in 20 years,” Bain says. He also points to the efforts PEF Region 9 members put into supporting former PEF member Kevin Cahill’s re-election in the 101st Assembly District.
“We helped push Kevin to a big victory in Ulster County,” Bain says. “And it was also Region 9 members who helped get out the vote for Paulin in Westchester County.”
Cahill is one of four former PEF members serving in the state Assembly. The others are Paul Tonko of Amsterdam, Earlene Hill Hooper of Hempstead and Nick Perry of Brooklyn.
“This is where real activism leads — electing leaders from among our own ranks who have a first-hand understanding of our issues and the value of public service,” Benson says. “PEF activism is a great training ground for elected office.”