Ohio: UAW Endorses Hackett In Democratic Primary Race

The Frontrunner

The AP (12/17) reported, “Ohio’s largest unaffiliated labor union endorsed political newcomer Paul Hackett yesterday in his Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate against recognized labor champion Rep. Sherrod Brown, a surprising and potentially damaging split in union support. The United Auto Workers told The Associated Press that its 17 area councils and 10 at-large representatives had voted 26-1 for Hackett, two days after the Cleveland AFL-CIO voted to continue its long-standing practice of backing Brown.

… ‘This is shocking news,’ said William Binning, a political science professor at Youngstown State University and the former head of the Youngstown-area Republican Party. ‘There’s a split in the labor ranks in Ohio, and that’s not good news for Democrats.’” UAW Ohio President Lloyd Mahaffey “said it’s possible the division could continue when the primary winner faces two-term GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in November’s general election. ‘It would still be a matter of choices [if Brown wins the primary],’ Mahaffey said. ‘It would seem Sherrod is the better choice over DeWine, but I don’t want to pre-empt our people.’” Mahaffey “says his union, which is affiliated with AFL-CIO nationally but not on the state level, wasn’t rejecting Brown, but feels Hackett has a better chance of gaining Republican and independent support to win against DeWine. … The UAW has endorsed Brown in every election since he first ran for secretary of state in 1982, Mahaffey said.”

The Cleveland Plain Dealer (12/17, Koff, 375K) noted, “A Ford plant in Brown’s House district produced its last vehicle…on Wednesday, and more than 750 workers there are losing their jobs with the closing. Brown said on Friday that the auto workers across the state will support him at the polls, regardless of their union’s endorsement. ‘I predict with absolute certainty that I will get the overwhelming majority of UAW members’ votes, both in May and in November, and I will continue to fight for working families, and union members and non-union members, as a U.S. senator.’” Montgomery County Democratic Chairman Dennis Lieberman, who is “vying to become state party chairman, said the endorsement will give Hackett momentum in the race.” Hackett spokesman Karl Frisch “called the UAW endorsement ‘a tremendous sign of support.’ ‘Obviously there is a large group of folks in the state who believe that Paul will represent them effectively and will stand up for the needs and rights of working families throughout Ohio,’ Frisch said.”

December 19, 2005 | Filed Under Hackett, News Mentions 

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