DES MOINES, IOWA (April 25, 2022) — The Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, held its Committee on Political Education (COPE) Convention, April 23, in Des Moines, Iowa. This is the formal step in the process to evaluate candidates for the first round of endorsements for the 2022 election cycle.
“The Iowa Federation of Labor endorsement process is very democratic. Local labor councils evaluate and recommend endorsements to the state organization, where they must get two-thirds support to get an endorsement,” said Charlie Wishman, President of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “We consider all candidates who go through our endorsement process, and they are vetted as well by those in local AFL-CIO chapters. The Iowa Federation of Labor is looking for candidates, regardless of party, who are committed to advancing policies that are in the best interests of all working people and who want to reverse the anti-worker course that this state has been on for some time. We have endorsed both Republicans and Democrats this cycle, and stand with those who stand with us.”
Additional endorsements may be made as candidate questionnaires are completed and returned. IFL Secretary-Treasurer Pete Hird noted, “Some candidates do not engage in our endorsement process for one reason or another, which effectively eliminates them from endorsement opportunities with our organization. Our program requires candidates to tell us where they stand on issues important to working Iowans before we will support them as well as to learn about the issues that are important to and matter to organized labor.”
Some candidates were not endorsed at this time, but can be considered at a later date for endorsement.
Federal:
US Senate: Former Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer
First District Congress: State Representative Christina Bohannan
Second District Congress: State Senator Liz Mathis
Third District Congress: Congresswoman Cindy Axne
Fourth District Congress: Ryan Melton
Statewide:
Governor: Diedre DeJear
Secretary of State: Joel Miller
Auditor of State: Rob Sand
Treasurer of State: Mike Fitzgerald
Secretary of Agriculture: John Norwoood
Iowa House Endorsements:
HD 1: J.D. Scholten
HD 2: Steve Hansen
HD 6: James Eliason
HD 19: Vergarie Sanford
HD 20: Josh Turek
HD 21: Joe Kerner
HD 25: Diana Swartz
HD 27: Kenan Judge
HD 28: Sonya Heitshusen
HD 29: Brian Meyer
HD 30: Megan Srinivas
HD 32: Jennifer Konfrst
HD 33: Ruth Ann Gaines
HD 34: Ako Abdul Samad
HD 35: Sean Bagnewski
HD 36: Gabriel De La Cerda
HD 39: Rick Olson
HD 40: MacKenzie Bills
HD 41: Molly Buck
HD 42: Heather Matson
HD 43 Suresh Reddy
HD 44: John Forbes
HD 46: Bridget Carberry Montgomery
HD 47: Gary Overla
HD 48: Penny Vossler
HD 50: Ross Wilbun
HD 52: Sue Cahill
HD 53: Sarah Smith
HD 59: Sharon Steckman
HD 61: Timi Brown-Powers
HD 62: Jerome Amos Jr.
HD 63: Tim Lecander
HD 67: Terry McGovern
HD 69: Jennifer Hansen
HD 70: Kay Pence
HD 71: Lindsay James
HD 72: Chuck Isenhart
HD 73: Elizabeth Wilson
HD 75: Bob Kressig
HD 76: Kate Wyatt
HD 74: Eric Gjerde
HD 77: Jeff Cooling
HD 78: Sami Sheetz
HD 79: Tracy Ehlert
HD 80: Art Staed
HD 81: Craig Cooper
HD 83: Kris Nall
HD 84: Sara Yedlik
HD 85: Amy Nielsen
HD 86: Dave Jacoby
HD 89: Tony Currin
HD 90: Andrew Dunn
HD 94: Phyllis Thede
HD 96: Shelly Servadio Elias
HD 98: Monica Kurth
HD 100: Rebecca Bowker
Iowa Senate Endorsements
SD 1: Jackie Smith
SD 11: Lisa Fleishman
SD 14: Sarah Trone Garriott
SD 16: Claire Celsi
SD 17: Izaah Knox
SD 19: Tyler Stewart
SD 21: Todd Brady
SD 23: Matt Pries
SD 25: Herman Quirmbach
SD 30: Whitney Mixdorf
SD 33: Matt Robinson
SD 35: Joe Brown
SD 37: Molly Donahue
SD 39: Joe Zahorik
SD 40: Todd Taylor
SD 41: Deb Vandergaast
SD 42: Charlie McClintock — (Primary Only)
SD 43: Zach Whals
SD 45: Janice Weiner
SD 46: Kevin Kinney
SD 47: Mary Kathleen Figaro
SD 49: Cindy Winckler
