WASHINGTON–CUNA announced it is making several independent expenditures and working with state leagues and individual credit unions on partisan communications to help a number of candidates win their re-elections.
Through its Credit Union Legislative Committee (CULAC), CUNA is making an independent expenditure of $200,000 to boost Rep. David Valadao from California’s 21st district, which is the southern half of the state’s Central Valley. Valadao is in a close race with Democrat Emilio Huerta. CUNA is also providing support to Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, who was called a “good friend to credit unions” by CUNA’s chief political officer, Richard Gose. Blunt is in a tight race with challenger Jason Kander (D).
State leagues and individual credit unions are backing partisan communications to Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
On the Democratic side, CUNA announced earlier it was making another independent expenditure on behalf of Rep. Brad Ashford, a first-term congressman in a tight race with Republican Don Bacon. To date CUNA has spent $349,753 on behalf of Ashford.
It is also backing Rep. Ami Bera (D) from California’s seventh district with a $197,082 independent expenditure. Bera is a former credit union board member. Support is also going to:
- Democrat Kim Myers, who is running for the open seat to represent New York’s 22nd congressional district. Myers is the beneficiary of $159,967.31 as an independent expenditure by CULAC.
- Rep. Rick Nolan (D) in Minnesota’s eighth congressional district. Nolan is in a rematch of his 2014 race against Republican Stewart Mills in which he won the race by 1.4% of the vote. Nolan is being supported by partisan communications by CUs on his behalf.