Participants in the New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s 25th Annual Labor Candidates School were energized by examples of election successes – and near-misses – delivered by fellow union members.
AFT Brother Leonard Luciano, who serves as an Essex County Commissioner, emphasized the importance of crafting a plan of action and executing the plan. He told of real-life experiences going door-to-door, meeting the voters and listening to them. His No. 1 piece of advice to the participants was to always focus their campaigns on what the voters want, and that the best way to know is to ask them.
New Jersey State AFL-CIO Legislative Director Eric Richard laid out the history of how Labor Candidates who won state legislative positions transformed New Jersey into the pro-worker state it is today. He also detailed the provisions of the federal Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and explained how the PRO Act will give all Americans what New Jerseyans already have.
Campaign consultant Mark Matzen, a former congressional chief of staff, offered guidance on knowing who likely voters are and getting them out to vote.
Crafting an effective message, and choosing the correct medium for that message, was the theme of the interactive session led by Will Robinson, a consultant whose expertise propelled key national election victories.
