Former Congressman Rick Nolan's campaign for 8th district congress picked up more steam Tuesday, as the front runner for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nomination won the endorsement of yet another union, the 700-member Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 11. Jeff Daveau Sr., business manager for the 120-year-old UA Local 11, said the vote to endorse Nolan was unanimous, reflecting their unqualified support for the Cuyuna Range native:
We are firm believers in the middle class and are highly invested in training our members in safety and craftsmanship. We feel that the direction being pushed in Washington, advocating Right to Work (for less) and attacking Prevailing Wage, are just means to lower all workers’ wages – both Union and non-Union.
Rick Nolan is the right person to stand up for all working men and women in Congress.
Nolan's commitment to work for the common good is reflected in the former Teamster's acceptance of this latest vote of confidence from his union Brothers and Sisters:
I am so honored to have Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 11 standing with us in our campaign to end the right wing war on workers, establish single payer health care and the Employee Free Choice Act, protect pensions and prevailing wages, and restore middle class jobs and buying power. Working families need more than a good vote in Congress. They need a champion and a leader who will stand firm regardless of the political risk. I intend to be that champion and leader.
It is Nolan's life-long dedication to public service that prompted the former 3-term congressman to jump into the race last July after observing with dismay that "politics today is dominated by big money special interests instead of the common good and better public interest." Nolan, who would retain his seniority and return to the Congress as a 4-term congressman, has the knowledge and experience necessary to provide his fellow residents of the 8th congressional district with effective representation immediately. In addition, Nolan's seniority would position him for a leadership role, likely a sub-committee chairmanship, should the democrats be successful in their bid to re-take the US House of Representatives. Organized labor clearly recognizes the importance of these attributes in the current political climate, as evidenced by strong support for Nolan from individual labor leaders and unions from across northern Minnesota.
The Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 11 is the second union to make an early unanimous endorsement in this race. Last month, Nolan won a tough, unanimous bi-partisan endorsement from the powerful Teamsters Joint Council 32 DRIVE, representing over 62,000 members. Nolan previously won the endorsement of the 12,000 member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 1189 and the rare personal endorsements of several northern Minnesota labor leaders including Iron Range Labor Assembly President Tom Cvar, Duluth Central Labor Body President Dan O'Neill, Carlton County Labor Body President Mike Kuiti and Northeast Area Labor Council President Al Netland.
This latest unanimous union endorsement further solidifies former Congressman Nolan's position as the front runner in the race for the DFL endorsement to face Tea Party incumbent Rep. Chip Cravaack (MN/NH) in November. Also vying for the nomination are former City Councilor Jeff Anderson of Duluth and former State Senator Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud. Only Nolan has agreed to abide by the DFL endorsement.
Update: A reader has asked that I post a contribution link for the Nolan campaign website http://nolanforcongress.org/