On Call Exclusive: AFL-CIO Targeting WV, Dropping First Mailer
With Democrats buzzing of late that given the nation's economic climate even West Virginia, which has voted reliably Republican in past elections, could back Sen. Barack Obama, the AFL-CIO is dropping its first mailer in the state. The Mountaineer State was not on the group's battleground target list until this week.
The piece will be sent to 30,000 union households. It was mailed to targeted voters in SE Ohio earlier this cycle but was not publicized, according to an AFL-CIO spokesman.
The mailer quotes union member Gary Flynn: ”Thanks to the Bush/McCain financial crisis, my job isn’t safe, my retirement isn’t safe and my family’s future is no longer secure."
Flynn, wearing fire fighter gear, also says: "I know something about risk. I'm not willing to risk my family's economic future on John McCain."
So with an eye on WV, the AFL-CIO is now targeting 21 presidential battlegrounds, by far the broadest program the group has ever run. By comparison, the group worked 13 battlegrounds in 2004.
In 2004, WV voted for President Bush over John Kerry, 56%-43%, and the state backed Bush over Al Gore in 2000, 52%-46%.
But Obama, whom Hillary Clinton trounced by 40 points during the WV primary, and running mate Sen. Joe Biden are making a late-breaking appeal to the state -- or at the very least forcing John McCain's team to play defense there. Biden is scheduled to stump in WV Friday for the first time. Obama last visited May 12.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
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