The two-day Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention concluded today with endorsements in statewide, congressional, and legislative contests.The list may be found here: https://www.texasaflcio.org/cope-2020-endorsements
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy and Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay issued this statement: "The Texas AFL-CIO COPE (Committee on Political Education) Convention culminates two months of conscientious work by local unions across the state who consider candidates' records, platforms and ability to deliver on fair shot issues for working families. "Under labor's rules, the local bodies closest to legislative candidates get to determine endorsement positions, all of which were adopted. COPE considered local recommendations and made final determinations in statewide and congressional races. "We want to say something about the U.S. Senate race, in which COPE was unable to arrive at the required two-thirds consensus to issue an endorsement. Six candidates -- Chris Bell, Amanda Edwards, MJ Hegar, Sema Hernandez, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez and Royce West -- participated in a highly informative debate at our Convention. Delegates listened intently for 90 minutes and the well-deserved loudest applause was for the entire group, each of whom presented an alternative vision for working families in Texas. We see that vision as our state's future, and the ability of several candidates to draw support as a sign of group strength among the candidates. "Here's what happens next. Labor in Texas, working in coalition with progressive allies, is going to run the biggest, broadest, boldest campaign that Texas has seen in generations. We believe the working families of the Texas AFL-CIO, our allies, our friends and anyone else we can persuade will turn out in large numbers to continue what we started in 2018 and change Texas for the better. If we change Texas, we will change the United States, and if we change the United States, we will change the world." A couple of notes: The COPE Committee can take action as the election year progresses pending results in primary and runoff elections or other relevant developments. In a small number of unlisted districts in which no action was taken, candidates were unable to attend local interviews in January and agreed to be considered for endorsement at a later date. Also, in Texas House District 54, the endorsement of Likeithia "Keke" Williams was inadvertently omitted in an earlier version of this news release.
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy and Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay issued this statement: "The Texas AFL-CIO COPE (Committee on Political Education) Convention culminates two months of conscientious work by local unions across the state who consider candidates' records, platforms and ability to deliver on fair shot issues for working families. "Under labor's rules, the local bodies closest to legislative candidates get to determine endorsement positions, all of which were adopted. COPE considered local recommendations and made final determinations in statewide and congressional races. "We want to say something about the U.S. Senate race, in which COPE was unable to arrive at the required two-thirds consensus to issue an endorsement. Six candidates -- Chris Bell, Amanda Edwards, MJ Hegar, Sema Hernandez, Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez and Royce West -- participated in a highly informative debate at our Convention. Delegates listened intently for 90 minutes and the well-deserved loudest applause was for the entire group, each of whom presented an alternative vision for working families in Texas. We see that vision as our state's future, and the ability of several candidates to draw support as a sign of group strength among the candidates. "Here's what happens next. Labor in Texas, working in coalition with progressive allies, is going to run the biggest, broadest, boldest campaign that Texas has seen in generations. We believe the working families of the Texas AFL-CIO, our allies, our friends and anyone else we can persuade will turn out in large numbers to continue what we started in 2018 and change Texas for the better. If we change Texas, we will change the United States, and if we change the United States, we will change the world." A couple of notes: The COPE Committee can take action as the election year progresses pending results in primary and runoff elections or other relevant developments. In a small number of unlisted districts in which no action was taken, candidates were unable to attend local interviews in January and agreed to be considered for endorsement at a later date. Also, in Texas House District 54, the endorsement of Likeithia "Keke" Williams was inadvertently omitted in an earlier version of this news release.