WINONA, Minn. – The Minnesota AFL-CIO labor organization, which claims 300,00 members, made a late push for Winona legislative candidate Dwayne Voegeli. An oversize postal mailer arrived at most addresses the day ahead of the primary election. The message was aimed at working people: “Your Vote Matters.” The mailer bore a stock portrait of Voegeli and identified him as a teacher union member. “Let’s build on our historic progress by sending more DFL labor-endorsed lawmakers like Dwayne Voegeli to the State Capitol. Labor-endorsed candidates can be counted on to stand with working Minnesotans and not corporate lobbyists.” The same mailer went out statewide, each each customized with the local candidate’s photo and a blurb. The AFL-CIO said it paid for the mailers, which were “not coordinated with or approved by any candidate.”
No pro-worker monopoly. Voegeli’s primary ballot opponent, fellow Democrat Sarah Kruger, also has campaigned as friendly to the cause of working people. Kruger’s employment history, however, doesn’t include jobs with union representation. Even so, Kruger has support of the Inter-Faculty Organization, the collective bargaining agent for Minnesota State college profs. The IFO: “As a member of the Minnesota House, we are confident that Sarah will continue the leadership of Representative Gene Pelowski as a powerful advocate for policies that ensure that our institutions can continue to provide all students with an affordable, accessible, and excellent education. Her commitment to organized labor, her vision for a more equitable and inclusive educational system, and her willingness to do what it will take to win a close election make her the right candidate for our endorsement.”
Other AFL-CIO endorsements
AFL-CIO endorsements statewide include Amy Klobuchar for the U.S. Senate, Rachel Bohman for the MN-1 seat in Congress, and Dempcrats in almost all state House races including Voegeli in 26-A. Others included Michael Hutchinson in 20-B (Goodhue and Wabasha counties). There was no AFL-CIO endorsement in 20-A (Olmsted and Wabasha counties) or 26-B (Houston and Fillmore counties).