Aug. 20, 2010:NWLP
8/17/10
10:49 AM
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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