GOP sweep has Jefferson County Labor Club reexamining election effort

By SHERRI GASAWAY

Correspondent

Festus, MO – The loss of worker-friendly office holders and the defeat of worker-friendly candidates in the Nov. 4 election is prompting the Jefferson County Labor Club to consider new ways of ensuring the success of working family candidates in the future.

Most infuriating were the responses in phone calls and door-to-door visits from volunteers, in which the tally of voters’ support predicted an outcome the complete opposite of what happened on Election Day.

Labor Club President Bart Velasco said on average, 62 percent of voters contacted expressed strong support and 11 percent leaned toward support of worker-friendly candidates in State House districts 111, 112, 113 and 114.

Velasco said 57 percent of voters contacted expressed strong support and 16 percent leaned toward support for Jeff Roorda, the business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers Association and Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 22.

“We’ve gone over these numbers hundreds of times and can’t figure it out,” Velasco said. “Normally, any candidate that has 60 percent or higher support in these polls wins the election. We can’t afford to get beat up like this year after year.”

Velasco said meetings are planned with the Missouri AFL-CIO and the St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council to go over the numbers.

He said Jefferson County also plans to reach out to other Missouri labor clubs and local candidates to discuss what needs to change moving forward.