Labor gears up for key governors races

Organized labor is betting big in Virginia and New Jersey, where two critical off-year gubernatorial races are taking place in November.

In New Jersey, where Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine trails Republican Chris Christie in the polls, the AFL-CIO earlier this month unveiled a web site slamming Christie for promoting an “economic agenda threatens the middle class.” The New Jersey Laborers’ Union, another Corzine backer, is set to open an on-the-ground offensive that will include assistance from affiliates in other states as well.

In Virginia, Creigh Deeds has been flooded with more than $600,000 in campaign contributions from unions since winning the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nomination in early June.

Last week, the AFL-CIO launched its first major salvo in Virginia, organizing an all-day canvass in support of Deeds in Northern Virginia, Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke, featuring workers armed with talking points slamming Republican Bob McDonnell for supporting “the rejection of $125 million in federal assistance for Virginia’s unemployed workers.”