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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 2010)
Aug. 20, 2010:NWLP 8/17/10 10:49 AM Page 8 Against incumbent Ron Wyden Oregon Working Families Party runs Senate candidate The Oregon Working Families Party — a union-backed minor politi- cal party — has set a course for the November general election. The party is cross-nominating 37 Democrats and one Republican, and running its own candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Ron Wyden. The Working Families Party does- n’t take positions on divisive social is- sues, but instead promotes what the party’s state director Steve Hughes called “good old-fashioned economic populism.” “Our party, at its core, is about moving an issues agenda,” Hughes said. “It’s about using political power to enact legislation beneficial to work- ing people.” Last year, the Working Families Party helped win a reform that could increase the clout of minor parties. On November 2010 general election bal- lots, Oregon voters will see a partial form of electoral “fusion.” Also known as cross-nomination, fusion means candidates can run as the nominee of more than one party. In “full fusion” states like New York, candidates’ names appear on more than one party’s ballot line, so they can see ex- PAGE 8 actly how many votes a minor party’s nomination contributed. Under Ore- gon’s new fusion law, candidates’ names will be followed on the ballot by the names of all political parties that nominate them. To earn the Working Families Party’s nomination, candidates had to answer questions about their level of commitment to the Working Families Party’s priorities. Candidates for state office were asked to support the estab- lishment of a publicly-owned bank and the creation of a disability insur- ance program; to impose minimum la- bor standards whenever state funds are used to stimulate the economy; to pub- licly support union organizing drives, contract campaigns, and strikes; to fully fund the state’s need-based grant program for college students; and to oppose privatization of Oregon’s pub- lic colleges and universities. Candidates for Congress were asked to support moves toward a sin- gle-payer, not-for-profit system of uni- versal health care; to insist on labor standards when federal funds are used to stimulate the economy; to co-spon- sor and actively support the TRADE Act, a bill that would turn away from measures 66 and 67 to voters; NAFTA-style trade policy; the measures raised taxes mod- to support legislation to estly on corporations and high- make it easier for workers to income taxpayers. unionize and get a first con- “What we’re finding in this tract; and to vote for the nominating process is that as the strongest possible financial Working Families Party, we do regulatory reform. have something that’s valuable The party’s nomination to these candidates,” Hughes process began with a ques- said. “They’re realizing this tionnaire all candidates were broadens the base, brings more asked to fill out. Then regis- voters into the fold.” tered party members in each One pothole on the road to of the state’s five congres- fusion: Oregon Secretary of sional districts met to review State Kate Brown has deter- their responses and make mined that on the newly re- nomination recommenda- worked ballots, all parties will tions, which were binding be identified by a three-letter ab- on the state nominating breviation, with a legend below committee unless two-thirds that spells out the party name in of the committee disagreed. full. The Democratic and Re- Hughes said only one such publican parties would appear as recommendation was over- “Dem” and “Rep,” and the Ore- turned — a move to nomi- gon Working Families Party nate a Democrat in a race would be WFP. The Working where the Republican in- Families Party and other parties cumbent supports the state are opposing that decision. bank proposal. “It undermines the whole Democrat Peter DeFazio spirit of what fusion is about,” was the only Oregon mem- Hughes said. “The law itself ber of Congress to win the says the party’s name, not ini- Working Families Party’s tials.” nomination. Kurt Schrader A fictional ballot, above, gives an idea of how the Whether or not that decision also turned in the question- union-backed Oregon Working Families Party is overturned, the Working naire seeking the party’s intends to use Oregon’s new partial fusion voting law: Families Party will have a state- nomination, but Earl Blu- sometimes endorsing Democrats or Republicans, ment explaining what the party menauer, David Wu, and other times running candidates of their own. stands for, which will appear Republican Greg Walden near the end of the Voters’s did not. Pamphlet that is mailed to all For U.S. Senate, the because he is unlikely to lose re-elec- Working Families Party plans to run tion and because the Working Families registered voters. The Oregon Working Families its own candidate, Roseburg resident Party has disagreements with him over Party is endorsed and backed finan- Bruce Cronk. Cronk is a retired mem- trade policy and health care reform. cially by six unions representing about ber of the United Steelworkers Local Wyden voted for NAFTA and most of 30,000 workers: Communications 5074. His run for Senate is intended to the other NAFTA-style free trade Workers of America Local 7901, Inter- satisfy the party’s need to get 1 percent agreements. national Brotherhood of Electrical of the vote in a statewide race in order The Working Families Party also Workers Local 48, International Long- to maintain its legal status as a minor nominated Democrats John Kitzhaber shore and Warehouse Union Oregon party. Wyden’s was the race chosen for Oregon governor and Ted Wheeler Area District Council, Operating Engi- for Oregon treasurer. neers Local 701, Teamsters Local 206, For the Oregon Legislature, the and United Food & Commercial Working Families Party cross-nomi- Workers Local 555. nated Democrats in 25 state house The full list of Working Families races and nine state senate races. The Party nominations is available at sole Republican to get the party’s http://oregonwfp.org/elections/2010- nomination was Pendleton state Rep. state-legislative-nominations/. Bob Jenson. Last year, Jenson defied his party’s majority by voting to refer NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 20, 2010
