Almanac: At the Capitol

Just like it's created some buzz for Al Franken, a big union endorsement should help these congressional candidates. Here's the press release:

AFSCME endorses Bonoff and Tinklenberg for Congress

Terri Bonoff and El Tinklenberg were endorsed for Congress today by AFSCME Council 5, one of Minnesota’s largest and most politically active unions. State Sen. Terri Bonoff (SD 43) is running for DFL endorsement for the 3rd Congressional District seat being left open by U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad’s decision to not run for reelection. El Tinklenberg is seeking DFL endorsement for the 6th Congressional District seat to challenge right-wing extremist and first-term Republican Michele Bachmann in the 2008 general election.

AFSCME Council 5 recommended endorsing Bonoff and Tinklenberg because AFSCME members thought they were the strongest pro-working family candidates for the seats. David Cohoes, chair of AFSCME Council 5’s West Metro PEOPLE district and an assistant public defender for Hennepin County, said “Terri Bonoff is our best chance to elect a pro-working families congressperson who will help solve our nation’s heath care crisis.”

Marcia Provost, chair of AFSCME Council 5’s Central PEOPLE district and a financial aid worker at St. Cloud Tech, said “El Tinklenberg worked well with frontline state employees when he was Commissioner of the Department of Transportation. In Congress, he will be an effective champion for transportation funding for Minnesota – unlike Michele Bachmann who has blindly followed Bush’s policies that have hurt out state.”

“AFSCME intends to jump into these races with both feet – just like we have done successfully in other races,” said Mike Buesing, president of AFSCME Council 5 and a road design technician for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. “AFSCME is fully committed to electing more pro-working families members of Congress, like Terri Bonoff and El Tinklenberg.”

In the 3rd Congressional District contest, AFSCME also screened DFL candidates Jim Hovland and Ashwin Madia. Republican candidate Erik Paulsen did not respond to invitations to screen with AFSCME.

In the 6th Congressional District contest, AFSCME also screened DFL candidate Bob Olson and Independence Party candidate John Brockberg. Incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann did not respond to invitations to screen with AFSCME.