With less than a year to go before the 2014 midterm elections,credit union trade organizations are focusing much of theirattention on key Senate races.

CUNA and NAFCU have both endorsed the re-election of Mark Udall(D-Colo.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), whois locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger KentuckySecretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.

“Udall has been a champion for credit unions on the businesslending issue,” Trey Hawkins, CUNA vice president of politicalaffairs, told Credit Union Times.

“McConnell has been a credit union supporter. We will continueto be involved in that race,” Hawkins added.

CUNA and NAFCU are also supporting Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.),Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

NAFCU Vice President of Political Affairs Katie Marisic pointedout that Begich has been a vocal supporter of tax exemption forcredit unions.

In addition, NAFCU and CUNA are backing Sen. Mark Warner(D-Va.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, over formerRepublican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie in the Virginiarace.

Among House races, both groups are supporting many incumbents onthe House Ways & Means and Financial Services committees whoare currently occupying safe seats.

“Most of the incumbents on Ways & Means and FinancialServices are in fairly safe districts,” said Hawkins. “Theinteresting dynamic this cycle when looking at these two committeesis that we actually have a few strong credit union supporterscurrently serving on these key committees who are seeking electionto the Senate.”

CUNA has endorsed Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), a member of theHouse Financial Services Committee, in the Michigan Senate race.Both trade groups are supporting the Chairman of the HouseSubcommittee on Financial Institutions & Consumer Credit,Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), in her bid for U.S. Senate in WestVirginia.

Among the tight House races, CUNA is backing Rep. Ami Bera(D-Calif.), a former credit union director for re-election, andPete Aguilar (D-Calif.), mayor of Redlands, who is a candidate forthe seat vacated by retiring Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.).

Hawkins pointed out that Aguilar is a former employee of the$773 million Arrowhead Credit Union in San Bernardino, Calif.

Support of Aguilar by the CUNA-affiliated California CreditUnion League during the 2012 elections, when he attempted tochallenge Miller for the seat, angered the Congressman, promptinghim to speak out against the organizations during NAFCU'sCongressional Caucus.

CUNA has also endorsed Republican candidate Mike Collins, amember of the Board of Directors at the $1.3 billion AssociatedCredit Union in Norcross, Ga., for the open GA-10 seat.

Marisic told Credit Union Times that NAFCU issupportive of House members in leadership positions on both sidesof the aisle.

“We are actively supporting re-elections of many members of theHouse Financial Services Committee, like Chairman Hensarling, Rep.Ed Royce, Rep. Pete King, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, Rep. BradSherman and Rep. Carolyn Maloney to name a few,” she said.