IFPTE's 2022 Congressional Endorsements

Below is a bipartisan list of Congressional candidates that IFPTE is supporting in the 2022 elections this November. These candidates have stood with IFPTE on the issues that impact the union’s diverse and growing membership.

*Incumbent candidates who voted for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) in the House (H.R. 842) or endorsed the PRO Act in the Senate (S. 842) to update private sector labor law and cosponsored the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act (H.R. 5727/ S. 1970) to bring much-needed collective bargaining protections to public sector workers.

Download a PDF of IFPTE’s 2022 Congressional Endorsements — The PDF lists IFPTE’s endorsed candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate by state and alphabetically.

IFPTE-Endorsed Candidates for U.S. House of Representatives

Listed Alphabetically

*Don Beyer (D, VA-8th) — Through four terms in Congress representing a Northern Virginia district that is home to tens of thousands of federal employees, including IFPTE members, Rep. Beyer has established himself as strong support of unions, collective bargaining, and public services. He chairs Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and understands that empowering workers, making sure the wealthiest are paying their fair share of taxes, and providing all Americans pathways to the middle class is critical to a prosperous economy. As chair of the Subcommittee on Space, his office has been helpful and engaged with the NASA Council of IFPTE Locals to support competitive hiring at NASA and resources for the agency’s mission. With a 95% AFL-CIO lifetime score, IFPTE knows Rep. Beyer is a friend to labor and the union supports him as he seeks a 5th term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-8, PA-8th) – As the lead Democratic sponsor of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, legislation that would guarantee union rights to state and local government employees in every state, Congressman Cartwright has been a consistent champion of labor and has a 97% lifetime score on the AFL-CIO voter scorecard. He’s also has continually supported federal employees and IFPTE members’ issues in his capacity as chair of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee in the House and his office always made time to hear IFPTE’s appropriations requests and recommendations on oversight. IFPTE and the labor movement are proud to endorse Rep. Cartwright as he seeks his 6th term to represent the 8th Congressional District in northeast Pennsylvania.

*Rep. Ed Case (D, HI-1st) – Congressman Case and his office have been a reliable place for IFPTE and IFPTE Local 121 to turn to. In the 117th Congress, he has successfully led the effort in the House to clean up the DoD Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Honolulu and secured funding to do so. With a 98% lifetime voting core from the AFL-CIO, Rep. Case is a key Member of the House Appropriations Committee. IFPTE extends our support to Rep. Case as he seeks to continue to represent the 1st Congressional District of Hawaii.

*Rep. Steven Cohen (D, TN-9th) – Representing the 9th Congressional District of Tennessee, Rep. Cohen has earned a strong reputation as a supporter of collective bargaining rights and democracy. He has a 98% lifetime voting score from the AFL-CIO and was an important ally in 2020 when IFPTE Local 1937 members successfully prevented IT jobs at TVA from being outsourced and privatized. As chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Justice Subcommittee, he has been a key leader in legislative efforts such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which restores voting rights and access to voting for all American citizens. IFPTE is pleased to endorse him as he seeks a 10th term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Gerry Connolly (D, VA-11th) – In his role as chair of the House Subcommittee on Government Operations and the representative for the 11th District in Northern Virginia, Rep. Connolly is among the strongest advocates for federal workers in Congress. He’s the lead Democratic sponsor of the “Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act,” which would provide federal employees with pay increases that keep pace with private sector pay, which is not only fair to federal workers, but helps federal agencies’ attract and keep dedicated civil servants. He’s also the sponsor of the Preventing a Patronage System Act, which would make sure that no presidential administration can unilaterally politicize the nonpartisan civil service. Throughout the pandemic, he introduced legislation to support telework, to make sure agencies are prepared for future pandemics and public health emergencies and has provided critical oversight on federal agencies. His office has rightfully earned a reputation for making sure federal employees and their unions concerns are heard. He has a 92% lifetime approval rating from the AFL-CIO. As he seeks his 8th term in Congress, IFPTE is proud to support Congressman Connolly.

*Rep. Danny Davis (D, IL-7th) – An unmistakable friend to labor with a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating, Rep. Davis has a long-standing record of supporting issues important to IFPTE members, inducing his support in 2006 for organizing campaign at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and his work to advance a bill to provide IFPTE Local 1921 represented workers their unjustly denied COLAs. Over his 26 years in Congress, Rep. Davis has stood up for working families, protecting federal programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, and for expanding investments in transit, infrastructure, and federal support for state and local governments. IFPTE is proud to support Rep. Davis in his bid for reelection to represent the 7th District of Illinois.

*Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D, CT-3rd) – Rep. DeLauro is both one of the most effective lawmakers and one of the strongest advocates for working families in Congress. She has effectively advanced IFPTE’s priorities by makings sure states and localities received necessary federal aid throughout the pandemic and the recovery, by supporting robust investments in infrastructure, by opposing trade deals that lower wage and labor standards, and by pushing for the Child Tax Credit and expanding food security for children and families. She is also a strong proponent of making sure corporations pay their fair share of taxes, providing a living wage to working people, and protecting workers pensions and retirement savings. Rep. DeLauro has consistently championed working families in her capacity as chair of the House Appropriations Committee and has earned a 99% AFL-CIO approval rating. IFPTE enthusiastically backs her as she seeks a 17th term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Suzan DelBene (D, WA-1st) – Congresswoman DelBene has a proven record of supporting working families and advocating for investment in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and education. She led the effort to include the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan and she continues to champion extending CTC so that working families can weather increases in cost of living and our economy can continue to lift children and families out of poverty. She is the Vice-Chair of the important House Ways and Means Committee and has been a strong advocate for the Export-Import Bank and strengthening the aerospace industry’s presence in Washington State. Rep. DelBene has been a key lawmaker that IFPTE and SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001, IFPTE Local 8A, and IFPTE Local 12 have turned to and boasts a 95% AFL-CIO lifetime voting approval rating. IFPTE is proud to support her as she seeks a sixth term to represent the 1st Congressional District of Washington.

*Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8th) – Congressman Fitzpatrick is one of IFPTE’s most valued supporters and a consistent champion of workers’ rights. He’s the lead Republican cosponsor of the Preventing a Patronage System Act, the Public, Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, and the PRO Act. He’s also backed labor by opposing amendments to attacking federal employees’ union rights, and a steadfast supporter of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements for federal contractors. The Congressman sits on Transportation and Infrastructure and was key to shaping the historic bipartisan infrastructure law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. As he seeks his fourth term in Congress, IFPTE is proud to support Rep. Fitzpatrick as he seeks reelection to represent the 8th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-3rd) – In the Congressional race to represent the Southwest Washington district, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has emerged as the clear choice for working families the district. Gluesenkamp Perez has distinguished herself as a candidate by emphasizing the urgent need to support domestic manufacturing, workforce development that supports good paying jobs, affordable childcare to help working families, and expanding the progress on affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. She understands the pressures on workers and households as inflation has been outpacing wage growth. In Congress, she’ll be an advocate for workers, for fair wages that support America’s middle class, and for reshoring jobs to Washington and the U.S. IFPTE is proud to support her candidacy for the 3rd Congressional District of Washington.

*Rep. Jared Golden (D, ME-2nd) – Congressman Golden brings his experience and perspective as a Marine Corps veteran to his legislative work on the House Armed Services Committee and to advocating for issues important to veterans, DoD civilian employees and federal workers, and to working Americans. IFPTE knows he is committed to union members’ issues and concerns as evidenced by his strong support for the members of IFPTE Local 4. He’s a consistent voice for making sure infrastructure investments improve the lives of working families throughout Maine and the U.S., for strengthening our election systems, and for labor law reform and resources for job training. IFPTE is pleased to support Rep. Golden as he seeks a third term for Maine’s 2nd District.

*Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D, DC) – For 32 years, Congresswoman Norton has represented the working families of Washington, D.C. and established herself as one of the foremost experts on federal employees’ issues. She’s been a staunch supporter of federal workers’ union rights, veterans’ preference, paid parental leave for federal employees, and for making federal pay and benefits competitive with the private sector. She’s stood strong for IFPTE members, including administrative law judges in D.C. government represented by IFPTE Judicial Council 3 and GAO employees at Local 1921. IFPTE is proud to support Congresswoman Norton as she seeks a 17th term in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D, MD-5th) – As House Majority Leader, a leadership role that includes scheduling floor time for legislation, Congressman Hoyer has consistently prioritized bills that improve the lives working people and advance worker rights. Rep. Hoyer represents Maryland’s 5th District, home to tens of thousands of federal employees and has been a “go-to lawmaker” for IFPTE members’ concerns. During his tenure as Majority Leader, he’s led the effort to pass several COVID relief bills that helps workers and families, historic infrastructure investments, and private sector labor law reform. With a 97% lifetime approval rating by the AFL-CIO, IFPTE fully supports Rep. Hoyer as he seeks a 22nd term in the House.

Glenn Ivey (D, MD-4th) – As a union with many members who live and work in the 4th Congressional District of Maryland, IFPTE strongly believes Glenn Ivey’s career in public service has prepared him to step into Congress and lead on issues that are important to his constituents and to IFPTE members across the nation. From his time at the U.S. Department of Justice and his leadership at the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney office to teaching at Harvard Law School and the University of Maryland School of Law to serving on the Sentencing Project’s board of directors, Glenn has established a reputation of listening to working people and prioritizing their concerns. In Glenn Ivey, we have a proven leader who puts the interests of his constituents at the top of the priority list and IFPTE is proud to endorse his candidacy.

*Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-7th) – Congresswoman Jayapal is a recognized leader on workers’ rights, access to health care, affordable higher education, and civil and human rights. She’s been a strong supporter of the Export-Import Bank and supporting manufacturing and infrastructure investments, for economic fairness and collective bargaining rights, and for a fair and humane immigration system. As the Chair of the Progressive Caucus and a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Education and Labor Committee, and the Budget Committee, IFPTE counts on her office to support our members issues. She’s always had an open door policy for SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001 leaders and their members and, with a AFL-CIO lifetime voting approval rating of 96%, she is a key voice in advancing labor’s issues. As she seeks a 4th term in the United States House, IFPTE is proud to support her.

*Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D, OH-9th) – Congresswoman Kaptur has been a leading Congressional voice in support of American workers and their unions since 1983. She serves on the House Appropriations Committee as chair of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee and as a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee. She’s a strong advocate for robust NASA spending, for protecting federal jobs from privatization, for the federal workforce, and federal sector union rights. She has also been a leader in reversing the harm done by unfair trade policies and for reinvesting in American manufacturing and good jobs. With a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating, Rep. Kaptur is a proven champion of labor and IFPTE is proud to support her as she seeks another term in the House.

*Rep. Derek Kilmer (D, WA-6th) – Congressman Kilmer and his office have been indispensable to IFPTE members and DoD civilian employees. He’s one of IFPTE’s strongest and most effective advocates in Congress, continually advancing solutions that support members of IFPTE Local 12 at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard and DoD employees in the U.S. and on overseas assignments. In the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2022, he led the way for restoration of a one-year probationary period for DoD workers, included language to make sure overtime requirements apply to DoD employees working on vessels outside the continental United States, and included a provision to for the DoD Inspector General to identify Navy employees who unfairly missed promotions during a brief cancelation of the Navy’s Accelerated Promotion Program in 2016. In previous NDAAs, he included provisions that to give DOD workers receive their full per diems when they travel long distances and for long periods for work. Through his position on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, he’s advocated for attracting and retaining a skilled federal workforce though fair federal pay and benefit policies and by ensuring productive labor-management relations. Rep. Kilmer has a 95% AFL-CIO lifetime approval score and IFPTE enthusiastically supports him as he seeks this sixth term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Andy Kim (D, NJ-3rd) –Through two terms in the House, Congressman Andy Kim and his office have become one of the steadfast champions for working families and IFPTE members’ issues. He’s built a strong relationship with IFPTE Locals in New Jersey, including Locals 195 and 196. He’s shown himself to be responsive to issues IFPTE locals have raised and is a principled supporter of unions and collective bargaining, pensions and economic fairness, access to healthcare, make quality education available to all, veterans services and benefits, and modernizing and decarbonizing our energy infrastructure. Prior to Congress, he worked for the State Department in Afghanistan as a civilian advisor to United States Central Command leadership and as a national security aide to President Obama. His experiences as a government employee engaged in foreign policy, national security issues, and diplomacy are assets to his role on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Kim has an unblemished 100% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating and IFPTE is proud to support him.

*Rep. Ann Kuster (D, NH-2nd) – During her 10 years in the U.S. House, Rep. Kuster has been a friend to IFPTE, particularly IFPTE Local 4. She’s led the fighting to make sure DoD employees have benefits, including access to childcare, and compensation necessary to support retaining mid-career federal employees and recruit the next generation of federal workers. She’s also a key voice in making sure COVID relief and infrastructure investments support working families in New Hampshire and provide needed federal dollars to state and local governments. Rep. Kuster has a 94% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating and IFPTE is proud to support her as she seeks to serve a 5th term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Rick Larsen (D, WA-2nd) – With nearly twenty-two years serving the constituents of Washington’s Second Congressional District, Congressman Larsen has established a record of legislative achievement, often in a bipartisan manner, on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and as chair of the Aviation Subcommittee. His office has been a resource for SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001 whenever major issues that affect SPEEA members arise. In recent times of economic crisis, Congressmen Larsen played a leading role in supporting aircraft manufacturing jobs throughout the industry’s supply chain. Throughout his tenure in Congress, he has supported regional and national infrastructure priorities and made sure those investments support good pay jobs. He has been a consistent supporter of union priorities and has a 94% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating. IFPTE fully supports his reelection.

*Rep. John Larson (D, CT-1st) – Congressman Larson continues to be the strongest voice for preserving and expanding Social Security in Congress and at the forefront for protecting the retirement security of working Americans. He serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and as chair of the House Social Security Subcommittee, his office works closely with the members of the Association of Administrative Law Judges/IFPTE Judicial Council 1 to uphold judicial independence and consider concerns of unions representing employees of the Social Security Administration. He is the sponsor of the IFPTE-endorsed Social Security 2100 Act and has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime voting approval rating. IFPTE is proud to support Rep. Larson as he seeks his 13th term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Elaine Luria (D, VA-2nd) – In just two terms in Congress, Rep. Luria has an impressive record of achievement that has directly impacted IFPTE members and their families. She’s a Navy veteran, a Naval Academy graduate who served as a nuclear watch officer and surface warfare officer, and she’s applied her knowledge and experience from her time in uniformed service as she represents a Congressional District that includes most of the Hampton Roads area. Rep. Luria is a leading voice on accelerating Navy shipyard infrastructure investments, and she understands how important the DoD civilian workforce is to military readiness. She was instrumental in crafting and passing the bipartisan Honoring Our Pact Act, comprehensive legislation that provides benefits and services to veterans suffering from toxic exposure, and IFPTE members applaud her for her work. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, she backed IFPTE priorities in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022. She has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime score and IFPTE is proud to support her as she seeks a third term in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Barbara Lee (D, CA-13th) – Throughout her tenure in Congress, Rep. Lee been a dependable supporter of collective bargaining and policies that end poverty and help working families prosper. Her district is home to IFPTE members in Locals 20, 21, and 30 and she has utilized her seat on the House Appropriations Committee and House Budget Committee to make sure state and local governments received necessary funds to respond to the pandemic and reinvest in infrastructure. She’s consistently stood for prevailing wage requirements, making sure corporations pay their fair share of taxes, and opposed legislative and administrative efforts to weaken union rights. Rep. Lee has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating and IFPTE enthusiastically supports her reelection campaign.

*Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D, CA-19th) – Congresswoman Lofgren holds key leadership positions in the House, including chairing both the Subcommittee of Immigration and Citizenship and the Committee on House Administration. She’s been a committed advocate for judicial independence for immigration judges represented by National Association of Immigration Judges/Judicial Council 2 (NAIJ) and her office has provided necessary oversight of the DOJ and the unionbusting effort against NAIJ that was initiated under the Trump Administration. Her office has always made time to hear IFPTE members at NAIJ, Local 30, and Local 21, and Local 20. Rep. Lofgren has a 97% lifetime voting approval rating from the AFL-CIO. IFPTE is happy to endorse Congresswoman Lofgren as she seeks a 15th term in the House of Representatives.

Heather Mizeur (D, MD-1st) – A trailblazer throughout her decades in public service in Maryland House of Delegates, Heather Mizeur has earned a reputation as an understated but highly effective legislator, and her record of getting pro-worker, pro-family bills passed through the Maryland General Assembly stands as a testament to that fact. IFPTE Southeast VP and NPEU/Local 70 President Katie Barrows describes Mizeur’s approach as “forward-thinking, compassionate and inclusive,” which “stands in stark contrast to the backwards ideology espoused by the current Representative from Maryland’s First District. She is a leader for the future.” IFPTE is proud to back Heather Mizeur’s campaign to serve on the U.S. House of Representatives.

Robert Menendez, Jr. (D, NJ-8th) – IFPTE’s New Jersey locals know Rob Menendez will be a vocal advocate for union members in Congress. Throughout his campaign for the 8th Congressional District of New Jersey, Menendez has pointed to his commitment to working people and to the values he was taught growing up with a parent who taught in public schools and a father who proudly served New Jerseyans in state assembly and in Congress. Gerry Newsome, IFPTE Executive Vice President, remarked, “There is little doubt that like his father, Robert Menendez, Jr., will take with him to Washington a strong belief in collective bargaining, which is critically important to New Jersey’s working families.” Commenting on his commitment to unions, IFPTE Atlantic Area Vice President/Local 196 President Sean McBride said, “we are confident that he will cosponsor and be a vocal leader in passing the Public Sector Freedom to Negotiate Act, which is critically important legislation for State and Local workers here in New Jersey and nationwide to mitigate the damage done by the Supreme Court’s ideologically-fueled Janus decision.” As he seeks to represent the 8th Congressional District of New Jersey, where so many IFPTE members live and work, IFPTE is proud to support Rob Menendez’s candidacy.

*Rep. Donald Norcross (D, NJ-1st) – IFPTE members know Rep. Norcross as a proud supporter of unions in Congress, a current member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers who comes from a union family, and a friend to our union. He was an honored guest speaker at the IFPTE Convention in 2018 and IFPTE locals in New Jersey have worked with his office extensively. He’s one of the co-chairs of the House Labor Caucus and, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, has championed strengthening Buy American requirement in defense procurement contracts. He boasts a 97% AFL-CIO lifetime voting record and IFPTE once more is proud to extend our full support to him as he seeks reelection to the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Chris Pappas (D, NH-1st) – Through two terms in the House of Representatives, Rep. Pappas has made a name for himself as an unapologetic supporter of working families and worker rights. He’s been a clear voice in support of bipartisan infrastructure legislation and manufacturing investments, healthcare for all, make college more affordable, helping middle class families in the Granite State weather economic hardships. He has stood by federal workers and as chair of the Veterans Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, he has opposed privatizing and closing VA health services. Rep. Pappas has a 100% AFL-CIO approval rating and IFPTE is please to support him as he seeks reelection.

*Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D, NJ-9th) – With a track record stretching over 25 years of advocating for working families, Rep. Pascrell has been at the forefront of building support for pro-union and pro-worker positions. From aggressively protecting Social Security from privatization efforts to opposing free trade agreements that encourage a global race to the bottom on wages and labor standards, Rep. Pascrell has been a leading voice for labor and the middle class. He’s been the Democratic sponsor of the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act in the House, legislation that is needed to end exploitive practices and abuse of high skill work visa programs that lower wages and labor standards that harms American workers and takes advantage of foreign workers. Rep. Pascrell has a 98% AFL-CIO voting approval rating and as he seeks a 15th term in the House, IFPTE is proud to support his candidacy.

*Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D, NJ-10th) – Representing the 10th district of New Jersey, which includes Newark and Jersey City, where thousands of IFPTE members live and work, Rep. Donald Payne, Jr., is a reliable advocate for working families and a friend to IFPTE. He has helped IFPTE Newark Council 21’s effort to secure livable wages and supported robust pandemic aid and infrastructure funding for state governments. He has also opposed privatization of state jobs in New Jersey and supported labor law reform for private sector and public sector workers. Congressman Payne has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime voting approval rating and IFPTE is happy to support him.

*Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-12th) –Holding the top leadership office in the House of Representatives, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has used her position to prioritize the needs of workers and working families. Throughout the pandemic, she ushered legislation to deliver relief to working families, to states and localities, and to industries impacted by the economic fallout. Over the last two years, she has led the legislative effort to rebuild our national infrastructure and bring critical supply chains and manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Throughout those efforts, she has made sure IFPTE and labor’s concerns come first. As Congress negotiated a compromise bill on investing in advanced manufacturing and R&D, her office helped remove language that would weaken civil service projections at NASA and potentially privatize the agency’s core mission. She has made the PRO Act a core part of the legislative agenda, alongside strengthening voting rights, protecting pensions and making healthcare affordable, and making our economy and tax code fairer for working families. Former IFPTE Western Area Vice President Larry Griffin, who has worked closely with the Speaker since the start of her public service, said that, “She never hesitates to address the concerns of not only IFPTE members at Local 21 and throughout the Bay Area, but IFPTE and union members throughout the nation.” Speaker Pelosi boasts a 97% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating and IFPTE is pleased to continue to support her as she seeks reelection for the 12th District of California.

Rep. Mary Peltola (D, AK) – In late August 2022, Mary Peltola won Alaska’s special election for the state’s sole seat in the House of Representatives, which was vacated after the death of Congressman Don Young. She’s the first Alaska Native elected to Congress and is finishing out the late Rep. Young’s term. In the few weeks that she’s served in the House, Rep. Peltola has already introduced and passed, with bipartisan support, the Food Security for Veterans Act, which devotes resources to preventing hunger among veterans’ and veteran’s families. She serves on the House Education and Labor Committee, which is an all-important committee for union members and working families, and she’s a committed supporter of collective bargaining, union, and labor law reform. She’s the clear choice to continue the bipartisan legislative legacy of Congressman Young and support union rights. IFPTE extends her candidacy our union’s support as she seeks to continue to represent Alaska in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Chellie Pingree (D, ME-1st) - First elected to Congress in 2008, Rep. Pingree has been a champion for working families, particularly those represented by IFPTE. She’s worked closely with IFPTE Local 4 and has been strong and effective advocate in Congress for federal workers, for collective bargaining rights, for veterans, and for protecting worker pensions and health care benefits. Rep. Pingree has a 98% lifetime approval rating from the AFL-CIO and IFPTE is pleased to support her candidacy.

*Rep. Mark Pocan (D, WI-2nd) – Easily identifiable as one of the leading lawmakers advancing labor law reform, Rep. Pocan’s office has become one of the key offices IFPTE and all labor unions turn to. He’s a co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus who serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Education and Labor Committee and utilizes his position to push for legislation that gives the National Labor Relations Board the resources and tools they need to effectively enforce labor law and also prioritizes meaningful labor law reforms that give workers a fair and democratic opportunity to form and join unions. Throughout the pandemic, Rep. Pocan has called for workplace health and safety protections for essential workers, and he’s consistently fought to protect workers’ retirement security, to make sure all Americans have health care and educational opportunities, and to strengthening Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Rep. Pocan has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime score and IFPTE is happy to back him has he seeks reelection for Wisconsin’s 2nd District.

*Rep. Jamie Raskin (D, MD-8th) – With hundreds of IFPTE members who are federal employees and nonprofit professionals living in his district, Rep. Raskin is one of the most committed supporters of IFPTE. He has a 97% lifetime approval rating from the AFL-CIO which is backed by a legislative record of supporting collective bargaining, unions, public services, and economic fairness to help working families. Throughout his career in Congress, he has prioritized providing oversight of federal agencies, promoting good governance, protecting our democratic institutions, and making sure federal workers, including legislative branch employees, have robust rights and policies that help them and their agencies. Rep. Raskin serves on several important committees, including the Rules Committee, House Administration Committee, and the Judiciary Committee where he chairs the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee. As he seeks reelection for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, IFPTE is proud to support his candidacy.

*Rep. Linda Sánchez (D, CA-38th) – When the Trump Administration and Department of Justice began their union busting attack on the National Association of Immigration Judges/Judicial Council 2, Rep. Linda Sánchez wasted no time in organizing a Congressional sign-on letter that demanded then-Attorney General Barr cease the outrageous and unprecedented retaliation on a federal sector union. Since then, she has continued to lead as she and her colleagues request DOJ correct the anti-union actions of the last administration. In addition to taking a personal interest in the Trump Administration’s attacks on federal employees and their unions, she has been a steadfast supporter of unions and collective bargaining and is one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Labor Caucus. Rep. Sánchez is a former labor lawyer and a card-carrying IBEW union member with a 99% AFL-CIO lifetime score. She serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where she consistently advocated for called for fair trade agreements with enforceable labor and environmental standards, for protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare, for shoring up workers and retirees’ pensions, for making sure all Americans have quality health care, and for advancing a fair federal tax code where corporations and the wealthiest pay their fair share. As she seeks reelection for the 38th District in Southern California, IFPTE is fully supports Rep. Sánchez’s candidacy.

Patrick Schmidt (D, KS-2nd) – IFPTE has no doubt that Patrick Schmidt would be a strong supporter for Kansas’ working families if elected to Congress. Public service is a consistent theme for Schmidt. He has served our country as a Navy intelligence officer and continues to serve as a Navy reservist, and both his parents were public school teachers. He understands first-hand the struggles that working families face, and that with unions are a requisite for a vibrant middle class and economic prosperity. IFPTE is proud to stand in support for Patrick Schmidt as he seeks to serve and represent the people of Kansas’ 2nd District in the House of Representatives.

*Rep. Kim Schrier (D, WA-8th) – From her very first day in Congress, Rep. Schrier has been a steadfast and accessible supporter of IFPTE. With a district that is home to IFPTE members at SPEEA/Local 2001, Local 8A, and Local 12, she has always helped and worked to address our union’s concerns and made time to talk to IFPTE national-level leaders, as well as SPEEA’s leaders and members. Rep. Schrier puts workers first by voting for legislation that will create jobs, invest in a domestic manufacturing base, and will level the playing field by bringing more power back to workers. She boasts a 100% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating. As Rep. Schrier seeks her third term for Washington’s 8th Congressional District, IFPTE is proud to back her candidacy.

*Rep. Bobby Scott (D, VA-3rd) – When it comes to IFPTE’s priority issues, Rep. Scott has an impeccable record. Whether advocating for collective bargaining and civil service protections for DoD employees and workers at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, sponsoring comprehensive labor law reform, authorizing and funding federal workforce development policies, or expanding health care access and affordability, Rep. Scott is a leading voice in Congress to improve the lives of working families and ensure American workers have a path to the middle class. He has a longstanding relationship with Local 1, as noted by the late Drew Terry, former Local 1 Legislative Director, who often noted, “Bobby is our guy in Washington!” As chair of the all-important House Education and Labor Committee, he’s built bipartisan support for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (H.R. 842), which passed the House in 2021, and utilized the committee to draw attention to how unions benefit workers and the public and why labor law reform is urgently needed. Congressman Scott has a 98% AFL-CIO approval rating and as he seeks a 18th term to represent the 3rd Congressional District of Virginia, IFPTE is proud to extend him our full endorsement.

*Rep. Adam Smith (D, WA-9th) – As chair of the House Armed Services Committee, which plays a very significant role in establishing DoD civilian workforce policy in the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Rep. Smith has utilized his office to advance IFPTE members’ interests in the NDAA. He’s reliably held the line against recent legislative efforts to attack federal workers pensions and health care benefits and erode official time and also supported included language in the NDAA that adds strong labor standards for federal contractors. Rep. Smith has a AFL-CIO lifetime voting approval rating of 95% and with a district stretching across Bellevue, Renton, Seattle, and Tacoma, he’s a good friend to IFPTE locals in the state. IFPTE is proud to support his candidacy as he seeks reelection.

*Rep. Chris Smith (R, NJ-4th) – A steadfast supporter of labor’s top priorities in the federal, public, and private sector, Rep. Smith and his office have been a friend to IFPTE locals in New Jersey and across the U.S. He has a long-standing track record of supporting labor law reform, protecting collective bargaining rights, and prevailing wage standards. Sean McBride, President of IFPTE Local 196 President/Atlantic Area VP, noted that, “Congressman Chris Smith has been there for IFPTE members and the working people of New Jersey on the issues that matter to us the most. His office has always been open to IFPTE members and IFPTE is proud to support him in his reelection bid for New Jersey’s 4th District.”

Jill Tokuda (D, HI-2nd) – IFPTE is pleased to see former Hawai’i State Senator Jill Tokuda running to Represent the 2nd Congressional District, the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Kai Kahele. Tokoda’s legislative record during her 12 years in the State Senate, representing Kaneohe, Oahu, demonstrates she is a committed champion for Hawai’i’s working families. She’s stood up for affordable housing, public health and affordable health care, and for making sure Hawaii federal support it needs to provide quality public services and drive equitable economic growth that helps working Hawai’ians. She’s served on the state legislature’s Ways and Means Committee, rising to the rank of Chairwoman before she left the State Senate, and has a deep understanding of the economic priorities and the needs of working people. She has the endorsement of the Hawaii State AFL-CIO and IFPTE is proud to extend our endorsement for her candidacy for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District.

*Rep. Paul Tonko (D, NY-21st) – Congressman Tonko is one of the strongest supporters of working families in Congress, including those represented by IFPTE. He has been a dedicated supporter of labor law reform legislation and has an AFL-CIO approval rating of 98%. Congressman Tonko has been particularly supportive of the members of IFPTE Local 147, including when the Local needed assistance to stem an anti-union effort by their employer during a past organizing campaign. As the Congressman seeks his 8th term in the House, IFPTE fully backs his candidacy.

*Rep. David Trone (D, MD-6th) – In just two terms in Congress, Rep. Trone stands out as a responsive representative and a problem solver when it comes to the issues and concerns of his constituents in a district that includes many IFPTE members. In his roles on the House Appropriations Committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee, and the Joint Economic Committee, Rep. Trone has demonstrated a clear commitment to improving the lives of working families, advancing economic fairness, and makings sure government policy invests in economic growth and prosperity that is shared by working people. He’s championed reforming our nation’s labor laws so that workers have less barriers to forming and joining unions, cosponsoring the bipartisan SAFE Workers Act for allow for electronic union elections, he supports the PRO Act and the Freedom to Negotiate Act, and he has a 100% lifetime score from the AFL-CIO. Rep. Trone understands the significance of Social Security and Medicare and advocates legislative solutions to protect and expand benefits and to make sure the trust funds for both programs remain solvent for future generations. As he seeks a third term to represent Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, IFPTE supports Rep. Trone’s candidacy without reservation.

*Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-, NJ-12th) – IFPTE has known Rep. Watson Coleman as a lawmaker who stands up for workers and working families since her time in the New Jersey General Assembly. She has been the go-to lawmaker on Capitol Hill for IFPTE’s New Jersey Locals and has a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating. Having worked in the New Jersey state government, she understands the issues of IFPTE’s public sector locals and the role that federal funding and policies play in providing public services delivered by state and local governments. Rep. Watson Coleman has been a leader in Congress when it comes to protecting state worker pensions, stopping government jobs and services from being privatized, supporting national-level labor law reform, and stopping attacks on federal employees’ union rights. She’s a been friend to IFPTE members and local leaders, including late-Local 195 President Tim Rudolph. IFPTE is proud to support Rep. Watson Coleman as she seeks reelection for the 12th District of New Jersey.

IFPTE-Endorsed Candidates for U.S. Senate

Listed Alphabetically

Cheri Beasley (D, NC) – After a legal career that includes serving as a state supreme court judge in North Carolina and working as a public defender, Judge Beasley is uniquely qualified for the U.S. Senate. She knows firsthand the challenges that working people and families face in North Carolina and how Congress can advance legislation and policies that will help working families. Judge Beasley’s campaign platform is committed advancing economic opportunity for workers, reinvesting in public education and college affordability, and investing in and strengthening our nation’s infrastructure. She’s a former SEIU union member and public sector employee who has made clear she supports the PRO Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, and labor law reform. IFPTE is proud to support her as she campaigns to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes (D, WI) – When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker instigated a sweeping anti-union attack on the state’s public sector unions in 2011, Mandela Barnes was among the countless young people who decided to step up and commit to fighting for working families, workers’ rights, and public services. Elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2013, he immediately established himself as an effective lawmaker who connected with the state’s diverse constituents and delivered for communities across the state. He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 2019 and was a key leader in Wisconsin’s pandemic response as well as in efforts to address climate change at the state level and rebuild the manufacturing base. Lt. Gov. Barnes is the clear choice for the working people of Wisconsin and IFPTE enthusiastically endorses him for the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D, NV) – Advocating for working families has been a constant priority throughout Sen. Cortez Masto’s career in public service. As Nevada Attorney General and then as a U.S. Senator, she has been vocal about building on the state’s strong history of organized labor and the road to middle-class prosperity that union members have won at the bargaining table. She serves on the Senate Finance Committee, the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and on the Indian Affairs Committees and across this diverse portfolio of issues, Sen. Cortez Masto has championed worker rights, shared economic prosperity, retirement security and protecting Social Security and Medicare, infrastructure investment, and support for critical supply chains, and addressing the climate crisis. Sen. Cortez Masto has a 100% lifetime AFL-CIO score and IFPTE is proud to endorse her as she seeks a second term for the U.S. Senate.

*Rep. Val Demings (D, FL) – When voters in the 10th Congressional District first voted to send Rep. Demings to the House of Representatives in 2016, they knew they could count on her strong record of public service and her commitment to working people, families, safe communities, and shared economic prosperity. She’s proven to be both a principled and pragmatic lawmaker, earning a 98% AFL-CIO lifetime score while working across the aisle to find bipartisan solutions to reinvest in America’s infrastructure and provide resources for community-level disaster and emergency preparedness and for national security. Rep. Demings has served on several key committees in the House, including chairing the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, and serving as a member of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Judiciary Committee. She now seeks to represent Floridians in the U.S. Senate and IFPTE is proud to endorse her candidacy.

*Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL) – A voice for common-sense solutions and bipartisanship in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Duckworth is a strong and effective advocate for working families and economic policies that create good paying union jobs. She’s an Iraq War veteran and combat helicopter pilot who was an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Obama Administration, and she understands the importance of keeping our commitment to those who have served in the military and making sure VA services have proper oversight and are protected from privatization. She’s on the Senate Armed Services Committee and has been the leading voice in the Senate for strengthening Buy American government purchasing rules and strengthening critical supply chains in the U.S. Sen. Duckworth has a 99% AFL-CIO lifetime score and IFPTE is proud to endorse her as she seeks a second term to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman (D, PA) – From serving as mayor of the Pittsburgh suburb of Braddock to winning state-wide office in 2019 as Lieutenant Governor, John Fetterman has never been shy that his values and loyalties are with the working people of Pennsylvania. Lt. Gov. Fetterman knows firsthand what working families deal with, the obstacles they face, and the role that public policy, public services, and good governance play supporting communities, rebuilding the middle class, and in encouraging good paying union jobs. He’s committed to passing the PRO Act and making sure labor unions have input in Congress’ deliberations on economic policies on trade, domestic manufacturing, clean energy, infrastructure, workforce development and education, and protecting and improving Social Security and Medicare. IFPTE proudly endorses Lt. Gov. Fetterman for the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Maggie Hassan (D, NH) – IFPTE members in New Hampshire and across the country have a reliable advocate for their issues in Sen. Hassan. She serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has oversight of the federal government and homeland security, and Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which oversees issues that directly impact union members and working families, as well as the Finance Committee, the Committee on Veterans Affairs, and the Joint Economic Committee. She’s been a key defender of federal government jobs, federal civil service rules, and improving government operations and resources for public services. Sen. Hassan played a leading role in the bipartisan passage of the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022, which provides health care and benefits to veterans who have been injured due to toxic exposure. Her office works hard to support constituents and resolve issues affecting American workers and she has earned a 99% AFL-CIO lifetime score. Without reservation, IFPTE endorses Senator Hassan as she seeks a second term in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D, AZ) – After a career of distinguished service to our nation as a Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, Sen. Kelly won the 2020 Arizona special election for the U.S. Senate where he has quickly established himself as a principled supporter of issues that are important to working people and their families. In particular, he has been a leader who helped pass historic investment in American infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. As chairman of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he is deeply committed to making sure that the U.S. and economy can compete with competitor nations, that federal policies support strategic industries important to national security and economic prosperity, and that workers share in the prosperity they contribute to. With a 100% AFL-CIO lifetime approval rating, IFPTE is happy to lend him our support as he seeks his first full term in the Senate.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R, AK) – For nearly 20 years, Sen. Murkowski has stood up for working people by backing legislation, policies, and nominees that support unions and worker rights, civil service protections and good government, workplace health and safety, infrastructure investments, and retirement security, among other issues important to labor. Sen. Murkowski’s pragmatic and principled approach can be seen in her willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to pass legislation and find solutions work for Alaskans and for working families. As she seeks another term in the U.S. Senate, IFPTE is proud to endorse Sen. Murkowski.

*Sen. Patty Murray (D, WA) – As the Senate sponsor of the PRO Act and Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Sen. Murray leads the Congressional effort to realize the labor movement’s highest legislative priority. Throughout her legislative career, Sen. Murray has stayed laser-focused on finding solutions that make a difference in working peoples’ lives and has a 95% AFL-CIO lifetime score. Whether it’s standing up for strengthening collective bargaining rights and enforcement of labor laws or making education affordable for students and workers, she knows how to build support for policies that unions, working people, and retirees care about. Her office has been a critical resource throughout the pandemic, and she’s made a strong case for preserving gains in occupational safety, childcare and child nutrition assistance, child tax credits, health and mental health care, and other benefits that were expanded in response to the pandemic. IFPTE wholeheartedly endorses Sen. Murray as she seeks reelection to serve in the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Alex Padilla (D, CA) – Appointed to the U.S. Senate seat for California vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Padilla has been a consistent friend to labor and to IFPTE. Sen. He’s an MIT-educated chairs who had an extensive career of public service in city and state government, from is election to the Los Angeles City Council in 1999, to being elected to California State Senate in 2006, and winning the election for California Secretary of State in 2024. In the U.S. Senate, he chairs the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety and serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, and the Committee on Budget. He’s advocated for labor law reform and dignity for all working people and has a 100% AFL-CIO lifetime score. He’s been a leading voice for making sure Congressional pandemic relief supports efforts undertaken by state and local governments and had worked to pass voting rights legislation and make sure the Senate functions and responds to the need of communities and workers in California and throughout the nation. As he seeks reelection to serve his first full term in the U.S. Senate, IFPTE is proud to endorse Sen. Padilla.

*Rep. Tim Ryan (D, OH) – In nearly 20 years of representing Northeast Ohio, Rep. Ryan has made his mark as a champion of working families, union jobs, and American manufacturing. He’s utilized his seat on the House Appropriations Committee to make sure the federal government policies and services help the national economy and local communities prosper. Citing the devastating impact that NAFTA and misguided free trade policies have had on his constituents and their communities, Rep. Ryan has been a leader on making sure American trade policies support strategic industries, American workers, and economic prosperity, and making sure our government has tools to combat unfair trade policies of competitor nations. He understands Capitol Hill lawmakers have a central role in ensuring economic fairness, in revitalizing communities impacted by unfair policies and corporate greed and renewing the commitment to working families to make the American dream and middle-class prosperity attainable. He has a 98% lifetime AFL-CIO score and IFPTE unreservedly endorses him for the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Brian Schatz (D, HI) – In the 10 years that he’s been in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Schatz has been a strong supporter of IFPTE’s issues and priorities and has always made himself available to Local 121. He was appointed to the Senate after the death of legendary Hawai’i Senator Daniel Inouye and has earned a reputation for championing workers’ rights, unions, and the federal civil service. He is the Senate sponsor of the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, which seeks to federal employees an adequate pay raise that closes the gap between what federal and private sector compensation. In 2019 and 2020, Sen. Schatz chaired the Senate Democrat’s Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, making sure labor unions, including IFPTE, helped the committee formulate their recommendations. He’s been at the forefront of the Senate’s work on investments in advanced energy generation and environmental protection, on reducing economic inequality and making sure corporations and the wealthiest are paying their fair share of taxes, and for protecting collective bargaining and labor rights. He as a 99% AFL-CIO lifetime score and IFPTE enthusiastically supports him has he seeks reelection to serve in the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Chuck Schumer (D, NY) – Serving as Senate Majority Leader since 2021, Sen. Schumer has managed the passage of historic legislation that invests in the American workers, revitalizes our nation’s infrastructure, expands federal incentives for decarbonizing our economy, and providing working families with crucial support throughout the pandemic. Whether it takes a bipartisan majority or agreement within the Democratic Senate caucus, Sen. Schumer has wielded his position to pass legislation – including a long overdue bipartisan infrastructure bill – that will have a lasting impact. At the same time, he’s prioritized President Biden’s nominations and managed to help confirm 465 appointees the Executive Branch and 84 appointees to the Judiciary. While there is more work to be done this year and in the next session of Congress, IFPTE counts on Sen. Schumer to deliver for IFPTE members and working people in New York and across the nation. Sen. Schumer has served in the U.S. Senate since 1998 and has a 96% AFL-CIO lifetime score. IFPTE is proud to endorse him as he seeks a sixth term.

*Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D, MD) – IFPTE members throughout the U.S. and working people in Maryland have a true champion on labor issues in U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. Representing a state that is home to tens of thousands of federal employees and employees of federal contractors, Sen. Van Hollen is well versed in the importance of the federal civil service protections and of proper oversight of federal agencies. Throughout the Trump Administration’s attacks on the union rights of federal workers and during the pandemic, his office proved to be a valuable resource to IFPTE. He’s been proactive in proposing solutions that improve federal government’s ability to improve benefits and compensation so that agencies can recruit and retain dedicated civil servants. During the pandemic, he proposed legislation that maintains the progress on federal telework policy and improves future pandemic and emergency response. He understands the benefit of unions to working people, to economic prosperity, and the public interest and has a 97% AFL-CIO lifetime approval score. IFPTE stands in support of Sen. Van Hollen as he seeks reelection to the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Rafael Warnock (D, GA) – After being elected to the U.S. Senate in a special runoff election in early January 2021, Sen. Warnock has devoted his office to making sure working families in Georgia have resources and pathways to join the middle class and realize the American dream. Before he was in Congress, Sen. Warnock was a Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and mentored by the late Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights pioneer. He’s made protecting voting rights and strengthening election systems a core priority. He’s been a steadfast advocate for creating good paying jobs, investing in critical infrastructure and economic growth, eliminating child poverty and hunger, access to quality health care and education for all, and reforming our nations labor laws so that workers have a fair opportunity to exercise workplace democracy through unionization. He’s proven he can advance those priorities and work across the aisle to do so, all while maintaining a 100% AFL-CIO lifetime score. IFPTE is proud to endorse Sen. Warnock as he seeks reelection to serve a full term in the U.S. Senate.

*Rep. Peter Welch (D, VT) – Running for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Pat Leahy, Rep. Welch would bring a pragmatic approach that prioritizes strengthening the U.S. economy for the 21st century by investing in infrastructure and clean energy, reforming private sector labor laws, restoring voting rights and election security, making higher education affordable to all, promoting affordable childcare, expanding quality health care as a right, and rebuilding the middle class. In the House of Representatives, he serves the Oversight and Reform Committee, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. He understands Congress’ role in providing government oversight and ensuring effective governance. Rep. Welch has a 97% AFL-CIO lifetime score and IFPTE endorses his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

*Sen. Ron Wyden (D, OR) – Sen. Wyden chairs the all-important Senate Finance Committee, where he has been a committed champion for economic fairness and middle-class economic prosperity. He’s an advocate for preserving Social Security, policies that promote tax fairness and close corporate tax loopholes and reigning in economic inequality and the concentration of corporate power. Importantly, he’s focused on making sure working families have a chance to prosper, making sure tax reforms uplift the middle class and support government revenues that provide important public services that Americans and our economy count on. He has served in the Senate since 1996 and has a 92% AFL-CIO lifetime score. As he seeks to serve another term in the U.S. Senate, IFPTE fully endorses his candidacy.

IFPTE-Endorsed Candidates for U.S. Senate

Listed Alphabetically

*Candidates who co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (S 842) and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act (S 1970) to bring much-needed labor law reform and collective bargaining protections to private and public sector workers.