A couple of days ago I saw a local poll showing two incumbents thrown into the same Michigan district (southern Oakland County in the Detroit suburbs)-- Andy Levin and Haley Stevens-- in an electoral dead-heat-- 41 to 41 percent. The two were elected on the same day. Levin immediately joined and became an officer of the Progressive Caucus. Stevens immediately joined the corrupt, Wall Street owned New Dems and faded into backbencher obscurity. Levin is a widely recognized congressional expert on unions and on foreign policy. Stevens is... basically, just there. His lifetime crucial vote score is 99.25, behind just two members, Mondaire Jones and Marie Newman, each tied at 99.43. Stevens on the other hand is way down the ranks with a score of 84.91, typical corporate Dem territory. Speaking of Mondaire, this morning he told me that "Andy Levin is one of the fiercest champions for labor and working people in Congress. From introducing a groundbreaking resolution to allow Congressional staff to unionize, to calling for a pro-labor Supreme Court justice and working to pass the PRO Act, I’ve been proud to partner with Andy to defend the rights of workers everywhere."
It isn't primarily her voting record that makes her a less attractive candidate. Levin in a do-er and a leader. Stevens is... a follower. And that was reflected in the poll, which has Levin significantly ahead with groups that vote in Michigan Democratic primaries. He leads 46-29% among women, 42-28% among African Americans, 47-38% among voters over 60 and 38-33% among union members. Steven leads among white voters (45-43% and among males 56-35%). Levin's overall favorable rating is 63% and Stevens' is 10 points lower.
Andy is the vice-chair of the House Education and Labor Committee and serves on the subcommittees on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions and on Higher Education and Workforce Investment. He was on Biden's short list of cabinet positions as a potential Secretary of Labor.
Stevens, who joined the Republican-financed Problem Solvers Caucus is also a member of the Education and Labor Committee.
Another new poll-- released by Morning Consult yesterday-- focused on unions. These were the questions and results among registered voters/Democratic voters:
1- "Generally speaking, do you support or oppose employees’ right to bargain collectively for workplace conditions such as pay, health care, and time off?"
support- 77%/91%
oppose- 12%/4%
unsure- 11%/5%
2- "Generally speaking, do you support or oppose labor unions?"
support- 51%/64%
oppose- 29%/14%
unsure- 20%/22%
Yesterday Levin introduced a resolution giving Capitol Hill staffers the right to form a union, something opposed by Kevin McCarthy. Levin: "In recent weeks, congressional staff have shared bravely their workplace experiences, good and bad, clearly illustrating their need for the protected right to organize. Today is about a simple proposition-- that congressional staff must enjoy the same fundamental rights of freedom of association at work, to organize and bargain collectively for better conditions, that all workers deserve." Please consider contributing his campaign on this ActBlue page dedicated to the best incumbents in Congress or by clicking on the thermometer on the left.
“In a matter of days, 130 of my colleagues have joined me to say we could not serve our districts or states without the hard work and dedication of congressional staff, and that we honor the staff-led efforts to organize Congress,” said Congressman Levin. “In recent weeks, congressional staff have shared bravely their workplace experiences, good and bad, clearly illustrating their need for the protected right to organize.”
“Thus far, congressional staff have driven the unionization process-- and they must continue to do so. Questions surrounding exactly how the unionization process will work are appropriate for another day. Today is about a simple proposition-- that congressional staff must enjoy the same fundamental rights of freedom of association at work, to organize and bargain collectively for better conditions, that all workers deserve.
My colleagues and I are listening to the workers and taking this first, critical step to get done what we should have decades ago: recognize congressional workers’ right to organize without fear of retaliation.”
“There is no cause for further delay. I urge my colleagues to advocate that this resolution be brought to the House floor as soon as possible. And in the meantime, I hope my colleagues will recognize a union if a majority of their staff indicates they have chosen to form one. We have an opportunity to demonstrate our values of believing in the collective voice and power of workers. We cannot stop fighting until every worker in the country can form a union, without interference, including our own employees, right here in the Congress of the United States.”
UPDATE: The Congressional Progressive Caucus endorsed Levin today
"This week shows why we need Andy Levin in Congress. He draws on a lifetime of activism in the labor, human rights and climate movements to craft policy that puts working families first every single time," said Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC Co-Chairs Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan and Jamie Raskin. "He introduced an historic resolution to protect the rights of workers on Capitol Hill, rolled out a gun safety measure to keep our children safe, and marked three years since he became an original cosponsor of the Green New Deal. Andy Levin is a progressive champion driven by a commitment to universal justice and equity, not backroom special interest agendas. The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC is thrilled to endorse his reelection."