Connecticut Voters Uphold Democratic Rights For All

Thousands of door knocks and conversations across the state delivered a strong affirmation that Connecticut voters firmly support voting rights, abortion rights and workers rights, rejecting the corporate agenda of election deniers.

Former teacher Rep Jahana Hayes was declared the winner on Wednesday in her close race against Republican utility executive George Logan. U.S. Sen Richard Blumenthal defeated Trump-backed Leora Levy, as all five Democratic Representatives, and the Governor won re-election.

Two new labor leaders were elected to the state senate. Jan Hochadel in Meriden, president of AFT Connecticut and Martha Marx, nurse and union member in New London.

And voters empowered the legislature to amend the state constitution to allow for early voting.

Hundreds of volunteers visited the homes of 82,000 union members in key election districts to discuss issues and get out the vote during two months of labor walks organized by the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

“Those conversations led working people to turn out and vote in waves, defying the odds and denying political extremists the power to further erode our freedoms and rig the economy to their benefit,” said president Ed Hawthorne.

“Workers are going to benefit from having an impressive number of union leaders serving in the state senate who are fighting for their interests rather than the interests of corporate CEOs.” he said.

SEIU unions also mobilized hundreds of volunteers to call and knock on the doors of their members supporting Rep. Jahana Hayes.

Hayes' fierce defense of working people's needs was lauded by AFT president Randy Weingarten during a stop in Meriden on the AFT Votes bus that toured 15 states.

Connecticut Unite Here members spent weeks campaigning in Philadelphia as part of a team of 1,000 who knocked almost three million doors in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania. In New Haven Sarah Grube posted: “So proud to work for a union that is fighting for democracy and for workers' rights across the country! I was able to see the power of workers here in Connecticut as we ran canvassing programs in multiple cities in order to ensure that *OUR WORKERS* have a *VOICE.*.

The People's World Amistad Awards on Saturday December 10 at 4 pm at the historic Q House in New Haven will bring together those who fought this election battle to celebrate victories and get ready for the next steps in the struggle for equality.