On Monday, the California Federation of Labor Unions announced endorsements for the June 2 statewide primary election, which is really the May 4 statewide primary election. That’s when ballots will arrive in voters’ mailboxes.
It’s no secret that unions are the most powerful players in California politics. Typically they announce early support of the person in line to be the next Democratic governor, and that’s the end of the contest. Long before the voters ever touch a ballot, the field is cleared and the rest is theater.
Not this time.
The labor group, representing 2.3 million workers, endorsed not one but four candidates for governor: in alphabetical order, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, Congressman Eric Swalwell and former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, all Democrats.
The Democrats left off the list are former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former State Controller Betty Yee.
Labor union endorsements open the door to what is known in campaign finance law as “member communications.” This is a special category of political spending that is not reported as a campaign contribution, and there are no limits on how much can be spent. The money can come from a union’s general treasury, from the money that members pay in dues.
According to state law – California Government Code Section 85312 and Regulation 18531.7 from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) – “member communications” can include newsletters, flyers, emails, phone banking, mail and meetings. The term “member” is defined to include family members.
It’s not only unions that can use this tactic. Any organization with members, employees or shareholders can do it. As long as the communication is not going out to the general public, the usual limits and reporting requirements for campaign spending do not apply.
The more members a union has, the more power and influence its messages to members can bring to bear in a campaign. “This also allows us to communicate to our members about the anti-union candidates in this race,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor and a former Assembly member.“At the end of the day, our enemy is the Big Tech billionaires.”
That’s a shot at Matt Mahan, who is well-funded by donors from Silicon Valley and has no union endorsements.
Betty Yee is another candidate who appears to have no union endorsements as of this writing, but she is endorsed by the Progressive Democrats of America and the group’s California chapter, potentially opening the door to “member communications” reaching thousands of progressive activists without the need for campaign finance disclosures.
Eric Swalwell has locked down the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union, SEIU California, which has 750,000 members. Swalwell also has the support of the California Professional Firefighters, United Food & Commercial Workers Western States Council and the International Alliance of Painters & Allied Trades.
Katie Porter can brag of having the endorsement of Teamsters California (about 250,000 members), UAW (with 24 locals in California), United Nurses Associations of California and Union of Health Care Professionals (40,000-plus members), Orange County Employees Association (more than 4,000 members), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 441 (2,400-plus members) Amalgamated Transit Union (13 locals in California) and Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Union (230,000 members in North America).
Xavier Becerra and Tony Thurmond were dual-endorsed by the California Faculty Association. Thurmond also has the endorsement of two electrical workers’ union locals, the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the National Association of Social Workers. Becerra has the support of the Laborers International Union of North America and the California State Council of Laborers.
Antonio Villaraigosa has the endorsement of the Building and Construction Trades Council of California, the Peace Officers Research Association of California (prison guards), the California State Association of Electrical Workers, the Pipe Trades Council, the Iron Workers and the Operating Engineers.
Tom Steyer has the support of the California Federation of Teachers, the AFSCME 3299, the United Domestic Workers and the California School Employees Association.
That’s a lot of “member communications” flooding into voicemails, text messages and mailboxes. And we still haven’t heard an endorsement decision from the California Teachers Association (310,000 members).
Potentially, the largest unions can affect the outcome of a crowded, close primary just by convincing their own membership to turn out and vote for a particular candidate. But size isn’t everything. Enthusiasm counts, too.
The latest poll from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) shows Republican Steve Hilton in first place with 17%, followed by Republican Chad Bianco with 16%, and all the Democrats trailing them. If that holds, the two Republicans will advance to the November election under California’s “top two” primary system. The Democrats would be locked out despite the party’s statewide advantage in voter registration.
In the Berkeley IGS poll, Swalwell and Porter were at 13%. Steyer was at 10% after months of gargantuan spending on TV ads. Villaraigosa and Mahan were tied at 4%, just behind Becerra, the former California attorney general and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, who could only manage to get to 5%. Yee and Thurmond, both elected to statewide offices, struggled at 1%.
Isn’t it remarkable that so many of these candidates have been able to advance their political careers this far with so little public support?
It’s the sign of a political machine.
Political machines always end, sooner or later, and California may be heading toward a shake-up. Berkeley IGS Poll Director Mark DiCamillo observed that “males tend to favor Hilton and Bianco over their Democratic rivals” and that “Hilton is also outpolling each of his Democratic rivals among Latino voters.”
This poll, released on March 18, included the candidates’ job description and party preference, testing what will actually appear on the ballot.
It will arrive in the mail in just over a month. You can register to vote online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
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