Political Action

What is AFT-Maryland COPE?

AFT-Maryland COPE (Committee On Political Education) is a fund composed exclusively of voluntary contributions from union members that is used to help support pro-union candidates for elected office. Members must assert that they allow this contribution to be used so that the union may assist candidates who share our values and concerns in running for elected office.

COPE funding is separate from member dues. No dues dollars are contributed to political candidates.

If a candidate who has won the AFL-CIO endorsement or the endorsement of an AFT-Maryland union asks

Candidates for delegate in district 12 - a district that covers Baltimore County and Howard County - are raising a large amount of money, showing how competitive that race may be. All 3 current delegates from district 12 are retiring, so that leaves the current race very much in the air. Michael Gisriel, a Democrat with major corporate backers, holds a lead in fundraising, but he may have double-reported some of those donations.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

2/14/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator
 

Heather Mizeur's campaign for governor announced her platform on crime yesterday, a plan that called for less incarceration, and more on crime prevention. The hiughliughts include less mandatory sentences, more gun control, and replacing juvenile detention centers with community-based treatment programs.

Read more at the Washington Post.

2/5/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator
 

Baltimore Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger announced yesterday that he will not be in the running for the democratic nomination for governor, saying he wanted to stay in congress to work on national issues. However, Montgomery County Congressman John Delaney, with his ramped-up critiques of O'Malley/Brown's rollout of health care and pollsters who continue to ask voters how they feel about Delaney's chances for the spot, has fueled speculation that he may be considering a run. Some speculate that Delaney doesn't like his chances for being reelected as congressman, and thus is looking for

Senator James Brochin, a Democrat representing northern Baltimore County (including Towson), is facing challenges from O'Malley and Miller backed democrats. Brochin is seen as more of a maverick-- willing to buck Miller and O'Malley. Connie DeJuliis (she spoke at our Baltimore Central Labor Council meeting in Atlantic City) is the candidate O'Malley is supporting.

Read more at the Washington Post.

1/22/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator

Gansler ratchets up attacks on Brown and Healthcare rollout, claiming many of Brown's donors had ties to companies managing the exchange. In a new line of attack, Ganlser criticized his opponent for governor by linking the floundering state health exchange to companies that had contributed over $30,000 in campaign contributions to Brown. The charge has lead some to question the role campaign contributions play with private companies that do business with the state.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

1/22/14, Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator

Senator Nathaniel McFadden, an ally to the BTU and AFT-Maryland, is facing a strong challenge from Julius Henson, who was convicted of producing robo-calls for the Ehrich campaign in 2010 to suppress Democratic turnout.

Read the full story at the Washington Post.
 

1/21/14, Todd Reynolds, Political Coordinator.

Ending months of speculation, conservative activist and real estate executive Larry Hogan is getting into the race for governor, running as a political outsider to "bring fiscal responsibility and common sense to Annapolis."

The former appointments secretary for the state's last Republican governor, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., is to formally announce Tuesday evening in Annapolis that he's seeking the GOP nomination. He joins three other Republican contenders who despite launching campaigns months ago have yet to raise much money or garner a lot of attention in a bid to end Democratic dominance

Del. Heather R. Mizeur (D-Montgomery) has won the endorsement of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club in her bid to become the state’s next governor.

The group is the first environmental organization to endorse in the competitive Democratic primary for governor, which includes two better-known and better-funded candidates: Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown and Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.

In the early stages of the governor’s race, Brown has dominated the endorsement process, winning the backing of far more fellow Democrats and liberal interest groups than his competitors.

Via the

According to an article on CenterMaryland.org, many of the incumbents who are in for tough challenges at the primary and general election level (including Brochin, Astle, Mathias, and Dyson) are still miles ahead of their competition.

More on CenterMaryland.org.

1/17/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Coordinator