Labor Matters–How the 12th District Was a Sign of Things to Come

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http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2012/05/labor-matters-how-the-12th-district-was-a-sign-of-things-to-come/

If you’ve paid any attention to the media narrative following Congressman Mark Critz’s surprise come-from-behind victory over Congressman Jason Altmire in the 12th Congressional District, you’ll know that organized labor was the decisive factor in winning the race. Aside from press releases and infusions of cash, there remains the untold story of the behind-the-scenes field operations and mass mobilizations that were truly novel in this election cycle.

The Supreme Court ruling in Citizen’s United changed many aspects of our electoral system, mostly for the worse. However, one result of the decision is that labor unions are now allowed to talk to the general voting public and maintain their own Super PACs.

With the creation of the AFL-CIO’s new Workers’ Voice Super PAC, the labor movement has moved into uncharted territory. No longer focusing solely on union voters, Citizens United has increased the size of organized labor’s voter universe while Workers Voice has allowed labor to target their outreach more precisely than ever before. Many of the new tactics that organized labor has been developing were put to the test in their campaign to elect Mark Critz.

According to Yuri Beckelman, the AFL-CIO’s Campaign Communications Director in Pennsylvania, this election “was sort of a trial run,” adding that the newly-tested campaign tactics “will be even more effective in the future.”