ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Setting a precedent, the Missouri Credit Union Association said last week it will start this year making formal endorsements of political candidates for both state and federal office.
Noting the first for the trade group, Rosie Holub, MCUA president/CEO, said Missouri CUs have now achieved the political influence and grassroots muscle to endorse a group of six state lawmakers, split evenly among Democrats and Republicans, who are running in the November election.
"Since we opened our Credit Union House in Jefferson City in 2003, we have significantly elevated our advocacy efforts by both our presence at the state capitol and our influence with policymakers and state agencies," explained Holub. "Our endorsement is now valued by candidates because they have learned through our political activity–testimony at hearings, research resource, service on state task forces, et cetera–that we can, as consumer advocates, raise awareness and support of critical issues."
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The lawmaker receiving MCUA endorsements included Democratic State Sens. Chuck Graham and Tim Green plus Rep. Paul LeVota. On the GOP side, Sen. Delbert Scott and Reps. Cynthia Davis and Charlie Denison were endorsed.
MCUA said it bases its endorsements on how lawmakers give public support to "credit unions and credit union issues," including CU-supported statutory or regulatory initiatives on field of membership, helping the underserved and protecting the CU charter.
"The fact that candidates seek our endorsement demonstrates that credit unions and their members are recognized as an influential voting bloc, representing the interests of Missouri consumers," said Holub, who also chairs the American Association of Credit Union Leagues.
In its endorsement criteria, MCUA said it chose candidates who supported "preserving and protecting an operating environment that promotes growth of Missouri credit unions" and those who have publicly stated their support of CU initiatives.
CUNA officials in Washington said MCUA is not alone among state leagues in endorsing candidates, though they made the distinction between financial and voter support and formal endorsement.
A spokesman, noting CUNA's policy of "supporting" candidates, explained that "an 'endorsement' suggests a formal process that implies certain types of political activity on a candidate's behalf, such as phone banking, mailings, etc." CUNA does use its political action committee, CULAC, "to support federal candidates financially." Some leagues, "then choose to formally endorse candidates to thus signal a level of support beyond a mere contribution, while other leagues do not make the distinction of a formal endorsement."
However, according to the spokesman, CULAC does not contribute or get involved in state races except on rare occasions when asked by a state league.
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