QUOTE
Surprise endorsement for political newcomer signals union split
Associated Press
Posted on Fri, Dec. 16, 2005
WASHINGTON - Ohio's largest labor union endorsed political newcomer Paul Hackett on Friday in his Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate against recognized labor champion Rep. Sherrod Brown, a surprising move that signals a potentially damaging a 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, political science professor at Youngstown State University. "There's a split in the labor ranks in Ohio, and that's not good news for Democrats."
But UAW Ohio President Lloyd Mahaffey isn't worried that unions backing different candidates will keep them from coming together against two-term GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in November's general election. He also says his group has no problem with Brown.
Rather, he says his union, which is affiliated with AFL-CIO nationally but not on the state level, simply felt Hackett had a better chance of gaining Republican and independent support to win against DeWine.
He said Hackett, an Iraq war veteran, showed he had the charisma and crossover appeal when he got 48 percent of the vote in a special congressional election this summer, in one of the most conservative districts in the country.
Brown said he would be undeterred by the news.
"I've won consistently in Republican areas and I'll continue to fight for working families," he said. "I predict with absolute certainty that I'll still get a majority of the rank-and-file. They know me and know my record."
Associated Press
Posted on Fri, Dec. 16, 2005
WASHINGTON - Ohio's largest labor union endorsed political newcomer Paul Hackett on Friday in his Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate against recognized labor champion Rep. Sherrod Brown, a surprising move that signals a potentially damaging a 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, political science professor at Youngstown State University. "There's a split in the labor ranks in Ohio, and that's not good news for Democrats."
But UAW Ohio President Lloyd Mahaffey isn't worried that unions backing different candidates will keep them from coming together against two-term GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in November's general election. He also says his group has no problem with Brown.
Rather, he says his union, which is affiliated with AFL-CIO nationally but not on the state level, simply felt Hackett had a better chance of gaining Republican and independent support to win against DeWine.
He said Hackett, an Iraq war veteran, showed he had the charisma and crossover appeal when he got 48 percent of the vote in a special congressional election this summer, in one of the most conservative districts in the country.
Brown said he would be undeterred by the news.
"I've won consistently in Republican areas and I'll continue to fight for working families," he said. "I predict with absolute certainty that I'll still get a majority of the rank-and-file. They know me and know my record."
