From January 2002 NASW NEWS
Copyright ©2002, National Association of Social Workers, Inc.

2002 Election Push Is Under Way

"The social work voice in this election is as important as ever."

Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE), NASW's political action arm, has announced its first round of endorsements and contributions for the current election cycle, which will culminate on Nov. 5, 2002.

"It's an important election year," said Katherine Levy, NASW senior political affairs associate. "Redistricting and reapportionment take place only once every 10 years. That process is making the political landscape unpredictable right now, but we can predict the effect of elections on legislation social workers care about. In order to pass legislation like mental health parity, we need the right people in place to vote for those bills."

Levy said the PACE Board of Trustees decided so far on 22 candidates to support with both an endorsement and a financial contribution [see below], based on factors such as candidates' support of NASW's legislative priorities, their opponents' records, viability of the candidates' campaigns, and NASW chapters' recommendations.

Levy added that all of the people PACE has endorsed and contributed to so far are incumbents, and four are social workers.

The social workers are Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Tex.).

"The social work voice in this election is as important as ever," said Levy. "As we do in every election, we'll mobilize social workers to vote and make certain they know there are clear choices."

At the national level, the focus of PACE is on federal elections — contests for the House and the Senate. To that end, PACE supports candidates and incumbents in all parties who support NASW's legislative goals.

PACE literature highlights mental health parity and upcoming battles on child welfare, hate crimes and the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as federal policies that will affect social workers.

"Congress must balance national security with domestic needs in the coming months and years. We must elect, and protect, legislators who can strike this balance," says a PACE statement.

Endorsed Candidates

Senate

  • Cleland (D-Ga.)
  • Harkin (D-Iowa)
  • Landrieu (D-La.)
  • Pingree (D-Me.)
  • Wellstone (D-Minn.)
  • Baucus (D-Mont.)
  • Carnahan (D-Mo.)
  • Johnson (D-S.D.)

House

  • Ross (D-Ark., District 4)
  • Lee (D-Calif., 9)
  • Stark (D-Calif., 13)
  • Davis (D-Calif., 49)
  • DeLauro (D-Conn., 3)
  • Evans (D-Ill., 17)
  • Moore (D-Kan., 3)
  • Hoyer (D-Md., 3)
  • McCollum (D-Minn., 4)
  • Etheridge (D-N.C., 2)
  • Holt (D-N.J., 12)
  • Towns (D-N.Y., 10)
  • Kennedy (D-R.I., 1)
  • Rodriguez (D-Tex., 28)

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