Clatworthy gains Dover, Delaware Air Force Base union endorsement over Biden

Delaware State News ^ | 8/17/02 | Joe Rogalsky

[soccergirl]

Clatworthy gains Dover, Delaware Air Force Base union endorsement

By Joe Rogalsky, Staff writer

DOVER - Ray Clatworthy announced Friday that a labor organization at Dover Air Force Base has endorsed his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Only a handful of the group's members, however, actually voted for the move.

The American Federation of Government Employees Local 1709 represents about 1,000 civilian workers at the base but only has 250 dues-paying members, said Brent Reynolds, the chapter's president.

The group voted to endorse the Republican candidate at a recent meeting attended by approximately 20 members, Mr. Reynolds said. About 80 percent of those in attendance supported the endorsement, he said.

"It was a democratic process," Mr. Reynolds said. "It is whoever is at the meeting and is eligible to vote is who decides how business is conducted."

Mr. Clatworthy is challenging incumbent Democrat Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. Sen. Biden, who defeated Mr. Clatworthy by 22 percentage points in 1996, had no comment, spokeswoman Margaret Aitken said.

The local chapter, which is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, had not made an endorsement since 1994, Mr. Reynolds said.

Though Sen. Biden has worked to bring new planes and new facilities to the base, Mr. Reynolds said the senator has not done enough to help nonmilitary federal workers, such as the mechanics he represents.

The new C-17 planes that are expected to come to the base will actually hurt union members, because the planes' manufacturers will perform repairs that need to be done, Mr. Reynolds said.

The workers he represents repair the C-5s that are now at the base, but some of those planes will be discarded if new C-17s arrive, he said.

"Bringing new C-17s to the base doesn't do a whole heck of a lot for me," he said. "We could lose jobs because of that."

Mr. Clatworthy said the endorsement showed that his campaign is appealing to a broad range of voters. Labor organizations tend to back Democrats and are major supporters of Democrats on the national level.

"I am committed to working closely with Delaware's working families and will represent their interests to the best of my ability," he said. "Their work makes a real difference for Delaware."

Michael Begatto, president of the AFL-CIO in Delaware, blasted the endorsement. Sen. Biden has a long history of helping working families and will always have backing from organized labor, he said.

"The overwhelming majority of our membership support Sen. Biden and will continue to do so," Mr. Begatto said.

"It was an off-the-wall move to endorse Clatworthy. He is a right-wing extremist who proved to be too conservative for Delaware when he lost last time."

Joe Rogalsky can be reached at 741-8226 or jrogalsky@newszap.com.

[soccergirl]

"It was an off-the-wall move to endorse Clatworthy. He is a right-wing extremist..."

works for me

[Delmarksman]

Thanks for posting this Soccergirl.

I worked with Brent Reynolds for several years(since '84) and feel that he is an upstanding guy. I almost wish that he would run for Senator.

However I support his support for Ray. Joe Biden has really been annoying since 9/11. He has been sitting on his butt and has done nothing for the State lately. He only whines and has nothing constructive to offer.

I have voted against him and will continue to do the same.

[Delmarksman]

And to add, as far as Ray being a right wing extremist...

God Bless him.

Del