Colorado Politics

Local unions endorse Democrat Diana DeGette’s re-election bid

A slate of local unions endorsed U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette’s bid for a 14th term on Tuesday, calling the Denver Democrat a champion for labor and citing her support for last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.

DeGette is facing two primary challengers in the overwhelmingly Democratic 1st Congressional District, which she has represented since 1997.

Unions backing her reelection include the Service Employees International Union of Colorado, Colorado Professional Firefighters, Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 720, Colorado State Conference of Electrical Workers and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

“I am proud to stand with my brothers and sisters in the labor movement as I have for my entire career,” DeGette said in a statement. “Together we will make the progress that we want to see for the working people of Colorado.”

“Congresswoman DeGette has been a champion for working people and was a key voice in securing historic new investments to improve Colorado’s infrastructure,” Mark Thompson, lead representative for the Carpenters Local 555 union, said in a release.

“As a home care provider,” said SEIU Colorado member Tomeka Robinson, “I greatly appreciate Congresswoman DeGette’s strong support for a voice for caregivers in our industry and funding to create living wage jobs to meet the growing need for home care for seniors and people with disabilities.”

David Foster, state president of the firefighters union, said DeGette has always stood with unions and the working people of her district.

“The Colorado Professional Firefighters are proud to stand with her in her re-election bid,” he added.

Rich Meisinger, secretary treasurer of the electrical workers state conference – number five local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions – said the union is proud to support DeGette.

“Just this past year,” he said, “she delivered on important programs for working families and union workers in the infrastructure bill. We know she will continue that work.”

Calling DeGette an “amazing friend and ally” to his union, LiUNA Local 720 secretary treasurer Anthony Trujillo said, “Whether it’s her work to pass the PRO Act or her continued advocacy for programs that help workers in the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better Bill, we appreciate her advocating for Laborers and other working families.”

First-time candidates Neal Walia and Dom Waters are running against DeGette in the Democratic primary. Republicans have yet to field a candidate in the race.

In this file photo, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, speaks at a news conference on May 6, 2021, in northeast Denver.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File

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