The political action committees of CUNA and NAFCU won some and lost some in yesterday's primary elections.
Both PACs gave $5,000 to Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) who beat back a challenge from billionaire businessman Jeff Greene by a 57% to 31% margin to win the nomination for an open Senate seat there. Meek will face Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican turned Independent, to whom both PACs also each gave $5,000 when he was a Republican, and the GOP nominee, former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio.
Both PACs also backed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who was easily renominated to a seventh term. CUNA's Credit Union Legislative Action Council gave his campaign $3,500 and NAFCU's National Association of Federal Credit Unions Political Action Committee gave $2,000.
Both PACs also gave $5,000 to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is trailing former U.S. Magistrate Joe Miller, who is backed by the Tea Party and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, 51.1% to 48.9% with 98% of precincts reporting.
In Arizona, CULAC gave $5,000 to former state Sen. Jim Waring, who finished third in a five-candidate race for an open U.S. House seat. CULAC also gave $50,000 to the Arizona Credit Union League for member communications on behalf of Waring. Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, won the GOP nomination.
