WASHINGTON—The political affairs teams at the credit union trade groups are paying close attention to the Nov. 4 elections, with a particular focus on four races.
Richard Gose, CUNA’s SVP-political affairs, meanwhile, echoed what many expect, which is that the House and the Senate will tilt back toward the Republicans. The big question remains just how many seats the GOP might gain, and whether it will regain the majority. “It could be between four to 10 seats in the House, and there are 10 Senate seats that are within their margin of error,” noted Gose.
CUNA, like much of the nation, will be paying particular attention to senate races in Georgia and Louisiana, where it’s expected run-offs will be required. If needed, the Louisiana runoff would take place Dec. 6, while the Georgia runoff would not take place until Jan. 6, which is the same day the new Senate would convene.
The four races being watched most closely by CUNA include the Kentucky Senate race, where Sen. Mitch McConnell is getting a strong challenge; the South Dakota Senate race, where three candidates are in the hunt; the Colorado Senate race in which strong credit union supporter Mark Udall is in a tight contest, and the Iowa race in which another CU proponent, Rep. Mark Braley, is fighting for re-election. In all those cases CUNA has made substantial independent expenditures, and local credit unions have also provided support.
Also getting special attention from credit unions is the race by Pete Aguilar for a House seat. Aguilar is a former credit union employee.
Regardless of whether Congress tilts back to the right or whether the Democrats retain a slim majority, Trey Hawkins, CUNA’s VP-political affairs, said the association remains bipartisan and has tried to get involved in the races of credit union supporters where it can have the most impact. For instance, a GOP win would likely mean Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) would become the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. If Democrats retain control, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will likely take the chair.
“When you look at our PAC spending you will seeit is one of the most balanced,” said Gose. “It’s always just one or two points either way. We support those who support credit unions.”