PEOPLE delegates endorse for March 18 primaries

With working families and labor unions under assault from multiple directions, it remains critically important for union members to stand by candidates who will stand with them.

The more than 500 delegates to Council 31’s PEOPLE Conference kept this in mind when, on Feb. 1, they endorsed a list of candidates and incumbents from both parties who are running in primary elections on Tuesday, March 18. AFSCME endorsements are based on candidates’ records on issues of importance to union members.

Every AFSCME local in Illinois, along with every Chapter 31 Retirees sub-chapter, was eligible to send delegates to the conference. Endorsements in federal and statewide contests were determined by a vote of all delegates. Endorsements in state legislative races were based on recommendations made by regional PEOPLE committees to the PEOPLE Executive Committee.

AFSCME did not make any endorsement in the race for governor in either the Democratic or Republican primaries. However, the delegates did vote overwhelmingly to commit the union to doing everything possible to defeat Bruce Rauner, a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and empowered the Executive Committee to endorse any of the other candidates running against Rauner in the Republican primary.

Normally, AFSCME does not make an endorsement in any uncontested race featuring only one candidate. But the delegates to the PEOPLE Conference made an exception in two statewide races, backing Mike Frerichs (D) for State Treasurer and Judy Baar Topinka (R) for State Comptroller. Both of these candidates have played leading roles in the epic battle to protect public employee pensions.

Because some legislators voted wrong on the crucial pension vote and many others were running unopposed, AFSCME made only a limited number of endorsements in state legislative races in this primary election cycle. Several of those races are critically important to strengthening the voices of working families in the General Assembly. It will take strong grassroots involvement from AFSCME members in and near those districts – making phone calls, knocking on doors, and helping get out the vote. We’ve noted the areas where each is from – stay tuned for more information on how you can help AFSCME support these candidates.

Below is the listing of all AFSCME endorsements for the March Primary Election. The PEOPLE delegates will meet again in September to consider endorsements for the General Election.

2014 March Primary Endorsements

Constitutional Offices:

Governor – No Endorsement
Attorney General – No Endorsement
Treasurer – Mike Frerichs (D)
Comptroller – Judy Baar Topinka (R)

U.S. Congress:

CD04 – Luis Gutierrez (D) – Chicago
CD13 – Ann Callis (D) – Southwestern Illinois

Illinois House of Representatives:

HD20 – Mo Kahn (D) – Park Ridge
HD26 – Jhatyan “Jay” Travis (D) – Chicago
HD39 – Will Guzzardi (D) – Chicago
HD40 – Nancy Schiavone (D) – Chicago
HD42 – Adam Johnson (R) – DuPage County
HD79 – Kate Cloonen (D) – Kankakee
HD96 – Sue Scherer (D), Michael Bell (R) – Springfield
HD110 – Kevin Garner (R) – Southeastern Illinois

Illinois Appellate Court:

1st District (Gordon Vacancy) – Freddrenna M. Lyle (D)