One of the most powerful unions in New York is mounting a full-court press to boost Democrats in competitive congressional districts this fall, after years of dedicating its resources to state legislative contests. The New York State United Teachers will be putting $2 million into seven battleground districts from Suffolk County to Syracuse, as first reported by POLITICO Pro this morning. That’s the most it will ever have spent in federal races, by a large margin. The union will also be launching its grassroots operations a bit earlier than normal this fall. And the outreach to members of NYSUT and other unions will similarly focus on congressional contests. “We’ve mostly focused on the state races, and really relied on our national unions to do federal races in the past,” said NYSUT president Melinda Person. “(But) there’s been a lot of talk and analysis showing that our House hasn’t been able to get a lot done,” she said. “And so part of our commitment to this new campaign we’re launching, Common Ground Over Chaos, is about returning our Congress to a functioning entity that passes bills, solves problems and that we can be proud of as Americans.” NYSUT has regularly been among the top spenders in state-level races in recent decades, occasionally topping $5 million a year. Yet there’s been little suspense around the state Legislature of late. The Assembly has been solidly Democratic since Watergate. And while the state Senate was a battleground for two decades, the drama there has dissipated since Democrats flipped the chamber in 2018 as they’ve spent the past four years with their largest majorities since the 1840s. And with tight margins in the House and a roster of competitive races in New York, several politically powerful groups have shifted their attention accordingly. The union that represents teachers and some healthcare professionals is positioned to provide Democrats with a solid advantage. Numbers from NYSUT suggest that its members and their families make up sizable shares of the electorate in every close race — including over one-fifth of likely voters in the Central New York contest between Republican Rep. Brandon Williams and Democrat John Mannion, a former teacher and local union leader. Republicans brushed off the union’s efforts. "Democrats love to denounce big money in politics yet embrace it when it's convenient for them,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Savannah Viar said. “No amount of money is going to cover up the fact that none of these Democrats have any successful record to run on and that's why they will lose this fall." — Bill Mahoney | 
