Labor’s Election Day scorecard

Organized labor enjoyed one of its biggest election night victories in decades.

The Oregon AFL-CIO to ok action in 65 federal, state, legislative races, and ballot measures in the general election — and 94 percent emerged as the winner (or loser, in the case of ballot measures the labor federation opposed).

The Change to Win labor federation of Oregon did not issue endorsements as an organization, but its affiliates endorsed most, if not all, of the same candidates as the AFL-CIO.

“One year ago — maybe even months ago — no one would have dared to dream of the kind of change we have experienced this election cycle,” said Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain. “The results are proof positive of the power of working people to bring change to Oregon and change to our country when the policies of Washington have left them behind.”

At the top of the list, of course, was the historic election of the first African-American — Barack Obama — as president of the United States.

Next was the election of Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate. Merkley defeated two-term Republican incumbent Gordon Smith. Smith spent nearly $12 million — much of it on negative television advertising — trying to hold on to his seat. Merkley is the first challenger to unseat an incumbent U.S. senator in Oregon since 1968, when Republican Bob Packwood defeated Democratic Sen. Wayne Morse.

Merkley was among at least six labor-friendly senators nationwide to win election. The outcome of races in Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia were still undetermined at press time.

When the 111th Congress convenes in January 2009, Democrats will hold at least 55 seats in the Senate, with two Independents — Joe Lieberman and Bernie Sanders — caucusing with them.

Democrats also increased their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to 259-176 — the largest majority in that chamber in 15 years.

Kurt Schrader in Oregon’s 5th District will be one of the new members in the House. He soundly defeated Republican Mike Erickson in the race to succeed Democrat Darlene Hooley, who is retiring.

Labor-endorsed Democrats won every statewide race in Oregon. They included Kate Brown, secretary of state; John Kroger, attorney general; Ben Westlund, treasurer; and Brad Avakian, labor commissioner.

Labor-friendly candidates also were elected to the Oregon House and Senate. Come January 2009, Democrats will hold an 18-12 majority in the Senate and a 36-24 edge in the House.

One of labor’s biggest legislative victories was Greg Matthews in House Dist. 50, where the president of Fire Fighters Local 1062 defeated incumbent Republican John Lim.

Matthews will be among eight new labor-endorsed members of the Oregon House. The others are Chris Garrett, Dist. 38, Lake Oswego; Jules Kopel-Bailey Dist. 42, Portland; Michael Dembrow, Dist. 45, Portland; Jefferson Smith, Dist. 47, Portland; Nick Kahl Dist. 49, Troutdale; Brent Barton, Dist. 51, Clackamas; and Suzanne VanOrman Dist. 52, Hood River.

Dembrow is a union activist and president of the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon Local 2277 at Portland Community College.

Dembrow and the others will join a bevy of incumbent state reps who were re-elected with labor’s support. They are: Rep. Peter Buckley, Dist. 5, Ashland; Rep. Paul Holvey, Dist. 8, Eugene; Rep. Arnie Roblan, Dist. 9, Coos Bay; Rep. Jean Cowan Dist. 10, Newport; Rep. Phil Barnhart, Dist. 11, Eugene; Rep. E. Terry Beyer, Dist. 12, Springfield; Rep. Nancy Nathanson, Dist. 13, N. Eugene; Rep. Chris Edwards, Dist. 14, Eugene; Rep, Sara Gelser, Dist. 16, Corvallis; Rep. Brian Clem; Dist. 21, Salem; Rep. Betty Komp, Dist. 22, Woodburn; Rep. Tobias Read, Dist. 27, Washington County; Rep. Jeff Barker, Dist. 28, Aloha; Rep. Chuck Riley, Dist. 29, Hillsboro; Rep. David Edwards, Dist. 30, Hillsboro; Rep. Brad Witt, Dist. 31, Clatskanie; Rep. Mitch Greenlick, Dist. 33, Portland; Rep. Larry Galizio, Dist. 35, Tigard; Rep. Mary Nolan, Dist. 36, Portland; Rep. Dave Hunt, Dist. 40, Clackamas Co.; Rep. Carolyn Tomei, Dist. 41, Milwaukie; Rep. Chip Shields, Dist. 43, Portland; Rep. Tina Kotek, Dist. 44, Portland; Rep. Ben Cannon, Dist. 46, Portland; and Rep. Michael Schaufler, Dist. 48, Happy Valley.

Only three endorsed House candidates lost their races. They were Richard Riggs in District 20, Salem; Jessica Adamson in District 26, Sherwood; and Toby Forsberg in District 39, Oregon City. Forsberg lost by just 439 votes to former Clackamas County Commissioner Bill Kennemer.

Six of seven AFL-CIO-endorsed candidates for the Oregon Senate were successful, including incumbents Joanne Verger, District 5, Coos Bay; Mark Hass, District 14, Washington County/SW Portland; and Laurie Monnes Anderson, Senate District 25, Gresham.

Newcomers elected to the Senate, but no strangers to labor, are Suzanne Bonamici, District 17, Beaverton; Diane Rosenbaum, District 21, Portland; and Jackie Dingfelder, District 23, Portland. Each served in the House and each had strong labor voting records in that chamber. Rosenbaum is a member of Communications Workers of America Local 7901 and is a past Executive Board member of the Oregon AFL-CIO.

Eldon Rollins was the only casualty, in Senate District 1, Coquille.

The Oregon AFL-CIO took positions on 12 statewide ballot measures — and was successful on all of them. Labor endorsed Measures 54, 55, 56, and 57 and opposed Measures 58 through 65. Five of the opposition measures were sponsored by union foe Bill Sizemore. One — Measure 64 — was Sizemore’s fourth attempt at trying to ban employer collection of union dues if any money is spent on politics.

“These victories, combined with Oregon’s outright rejection once again of the anti-worker agenda espoused by Bill Sizemore and his buddies, pave the way for a brighter future for working families,” Chamberlain said.

Approximately 83 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in Oregon.

In local races, labor also did well.

The Northwest Oregon Labor Council was victorious in 46 of the 49 races it participated in.

NOLC helped elect Judy Shiprack to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. She is the wife of Bob Shiprack, executive director of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council. NOLC’s other endorsed candidate for the commission, Carla Piluso, was defeated by Diane McKeel in a very close race (926 votes) out of nearly 55,000 ballots cast.

In the contest for Portland City Council, NOLC’s endorsed candidate, Charles Lewis, lost to Amanda Fritz by a wide margin. Fritz, however, was endorsed by several union locals, including Portland AFSCME Local 189 and Laborers Municipal Employees Local 483. Both of those unions have members who work for the city.

In Clackamas County, Charlotte Lehan was elected to the County Commission and Craig Roberts was re-elected sheriff.

In Gresham, Shirley Craddick and Paul Warr-King were re-elected to the City Council, while in Columbia County Earl Fisher and Tony Hyde outpolled their opponents for seats on that county’s Board of Commissioners.

Additionally, Columbia County Circuit Court Judge Jenefer Grant held on to her position, defeating challenger David Herr.

A school children’s investment measure (Measure 26-94) in Portland passed, while a police funding levy in Gresham failed. NOLC had endorsed both measures.

The Marion-Polk-Yamhill Counties Labor Council helped re-elect Bill Burgess as Marion County clerk. He was in a race targeted by Republicans for the non-partisan post.

In Yamhill County, labor-backed Rebekah Stern Doll was elected county clerk, while Kris Bledsoe lost her bid for county commissioner.

Backed by Linn-Benton-Lincoln Counties Labor Council, Sharon Konopa was elected mayor of Albany and is the first woman to hold that post in the history of the city. Sharon, who served three terms on the Albany City Council, is married to Steve Konopa, a union representative of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555.

Three endorsed candidates for Albany City Council — Bill Root, Mike Styler and Frank Frentzel — were defeated. Frentzel is president of AFSCME Local 2043 at the City of Lebanon.

Jim Gorley, financial secretary of Steelworkers Local 1189, was elected to the Sweet Home City Council, and in Benton County, labor-endorsed Annabelle Jaramillo and Jay Dixon were elected to the Board of Commissioners.

The Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council probably made the difference for Patricia Roberts in her race for Clatsop County Commissioner. Roberts defeated Jim Scheller by just 15 votes.

CPBCTC-endorsed candidates in Fairview and Wood Village didn’t fare quite as well. Theresa Davis, wife of IBEW Local 48 Business Manager Clif Davis, lost her bid for Fairview City Council, as did Laborers Local 296 Business Representative Gary Moore in Wood Village.

A union-supported construction bond measure in Centennial School district also was defeated.

In Washington State, two CPBCTC-endorsed candidates for the Clark County Board of Commissioners were defeated. Jeanne Harris was outpolled by Mark Boldt, and Pam Brokaw lost a nail-biter to Tom Mielke by just 190 votes out of 168,000 ballots cast.

In Skamania County, Bruce Scherling lost his bid for county commissioner.

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