Minnesota AFL-CIO announces second round of endorsements

Labor federation backs candidates for Secretary of State, Congress, and the Legislature

In its second round of 2014 endorsements, the Minnesota AFL-CIO endorsed State Representative Steve Simon for Secretary of State, Congressman Colin Peterson, Joe Perske and Sharon Sund for the United States House and a number of candidates for the Minnesota House.

“When the Minnesota AFL-CIO endorses a candidate, it means that working people can count on that person to be their voice when they are elected to office,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Steve Hunter. “Minnesota’s more than 300,000 union members and 250,000 members of our community affiliate Working America are committed to helping elect candidates this fall who share our values and priorities.”

Earlier this year, the statewide labor federation endorsed Mark Dayton and Tina Smith for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Al Franken for Senate, and Tim Walz, Mike Obermueller, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, and Rick Nolan for Congress.

The Minnesota AFL-CIO has endorsed the following candidates for the Minnesota State House of Representatives:

3B Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL)

7A Jennifer Schultz (DFL)

7B Rep. Erik Simonson (DFL)

13A Emily Jensen (DFL)

14A Dan Wolgamott (DFL)

15A Dale James Rittenour Jr. (DFL)

15B Brian Johnson (DFL)

31B J. D. Holmquist (DFL)

32A Paul Gammel (DFL)

32B Laurie Warner (DFL)

36A Jefferson Fietek (DFL)

37B Susan Witt (DFL)

38A Pat Davern (DFL)

38B Greg Pariseau (DFL)

39A Tim Stender (DFL)

39B Tom DeGree (DFL)

40A Rep. Mike Nelson (DFL)

41A Rep. Connie Bernardy (DFL)

41B Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL)

42A Rep. Barb Yarusso (DFL)

43A Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL)

43B Rep. Leon Lillie (DFL)

45A Rep. Lyndon Carlson (DFL)

45B Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL)

48A Rep. Yvonne Selcer (DFL)

48B Joan Howe-Pullis (DFL)

49A Rep. Ron Erhardt (DFL)

49B Rep. Paul Rosenthal (DFL)

50A Rep. Linda Slocum (DFL)

51A Rep. Sandra Masin (DFL)

51B Rep. Laurie Halverson (DFL)

52A Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL)

52B Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL)

53A Rep. JoAnn Ward (DFL)

53B Kay Hendrikson (DFL)

54A Rep. Dan Schoen (DFL)

54B Don Slaten (DFL)

55A Jay Whiting (DFL)

56B Rep. Will Morgan (DFL)

57B Denise Packard (DFL)

58A Amy Willingham (DFL)

58B Marla Vagts (DFL)

60A Rep. Diane Loefffler (DFL)

60B Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL)

61A Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL)

62A Rep. Karen Clark (DFL)

63A Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL)

64A Rep. Erin Murphy (DFL)

64B Dave Pinto (DFL)

65A Rep. Rena Moran (DFL)

65B Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL)

66A Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL)

66B Rep. John Lesch (DFL)

67A Rep. Tim Mahoney (DFL)

67B Rep. Sheldon Johnson (DFL)

More endorsements are expected in the coming weeks and months.

Added Hunter, “We look forward to electing these candidates to office and working with them to continue building a better Minnesota and country.”