“No Tolerance”: Union Urges DCCC to Cut Off Support to Dems Who Voted Against Pro-Labor Bill
February 21st 2020
Official portrait of US Rep Henry Cuellar of Texas (Eric Connolly)
By Jake Johnson
The Communications Workers of America, a labor union with 700,000 members, called on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this week to cut off support to the seven House Democrats who "betrayed working people" by voting against a pro-labor bill that passed the House earlier this month.
The Democrats who voted against the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—which would eliminate state-level "right-to-work" laws and expand workers' bargaining rights—are Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), Lucy McBath (Ga.), Kendra Horn (Okla.), Kurt Schrader (Ore.), Joe Cunningham (S.C.), and Ben McAdams (Utah.).
"They must be denied the support of the Democratic Party for refusing to stand with working Americans," CWA president Christopher Shelton wrote to DCCC chair Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) in a letter (pdf) dated Feb. 18. "I urge the DCCC to no longer provide services for any incumbent House members who turn their back on working people."
McBath, Horn, McAdams, and Cunningham are all freshmen in toss-up seats, Politico reported Wednesday.
Cuellar, a Koch-backed Democrat who has voted with President Donald Trump nearly 70% of the time, is facing a tough primary challenge from progressive attorney Jessica Cisneros in Texas' 28th District.
Cisneros has racked up union endorsements and nearly $1 million in donations despite the DCCC's blacklist policy, which cuts off funding and support for vendors that assist Democratic primary challengers.
CWA District 6 endorsed Cisneros last October.
"Jessica just exemplifies the kind of person we need more in Congress," Shane Larson, senior director of government affairs and policy for CWA, told The Intercept this week. "It's one thing for our union to want to see Henry Cuellar replaced because he votes with corporations and Wall Street time and time again, but Jessica is really such a phenomenal person and phenomenal candidate, and she represents the kind of people who just do not have representation in Congress today."
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