By Diane S. Williams
DC 37 went all the way
with H. Carl McCall on Primary Day, Sept. 10. Union activists helped him win 86
percent of the vote and become the Democratic Party candidate for governor of
New York in the Nov. 5 election.
"We
mounted a substantial campaign of educating our members on the issues and they
made the right choice in voting booths across New York City," said DC 37
Executive Director Lillian Roberts.
Overall, DC 37 revived its political
clout as nearly 96 percent of its endorsed candidates won their bids to get on
the November ballot in races for Congress and the State legislature.
Hevesi: unanimous endorsement
On Sept. 24, the DC 37 Delegates Council voted
unanimously to endorse Mr. McCall for governor and Alan Hevesi for State Comptroller
as well as 18 Congressional candidates, and a total of 91 State legislative members
and candidates for the general election Nov. 5.
In the weeks leading
up to the vote, DC 37's Political Action and Legislation Dept. sent thousands
of pieces of mail to members. And volunteers, retirees and members staffed phone
banks to get out the vote.
On Primary Day, the department organized field
operations that put close to 600 DC 37 volunteers - including many Lifeguards
from Locals 461 and 508 - into communities around the city from dawn to 9 p.m.,
when the polls closed.
Despite low voter turnout on the eve of the first
anniversary of 9/11, DC 37's Green Machine of volunteers helped union-backed candidates
win.
"I volunteer because I believe I can make a difference,"
said Local 1549 member Margaret Forbes. "If I can get my family and friends
involved, then I can help elect politicians who will work for us."
Mr.
McCall, who started as the underdog, enjoyed a "sweet victory" as his
mounting labor, community and upstate support led opponent Andrew Cuomo to drop
out of the race just one week before the primary.
McCall:
Invest in education
"We are ready to get New York moving again,"
said Mr. McCall. "We want to make sure that hard-working families can reach
their aspirations as we invest in education and help build a dynamic and growing
economy.
"We want to make sure that every New Yorker has the tools
and the opportunity to succeed."
Although DC 37 candidate Bill Mulrow
lost the Comptroller nomination to Alan Hevesi, the primary unified the Democratic
Party as it gears up for November.
An unanticipated upset may well have
aided Mr. McCall. Rochester billionaire Thomas Golisano beat Gov. George E. Pataki
by 496 votes to become the Independent Party's gubernatorial candidate. If he
splits the conservative vote in November, experts say a close three-way race could
help put Mr. McCall - and his running mate Dennis Mehiel - in the governor's mansion.
"But we have to do our job of registering, volunteering and voting.
Our members have the power to decide who New York's next governor will be,"
said Ms. Roberts.