The Power of Endorsements
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Another state politician is stepping forward in support of Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett and his race for governor. U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore is the latest in a long list of political endorsers, but what do these endorsements really mean in the dem Video by nbc26.com
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Another state politician is stepping forward in support of Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett and his race for governor. U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore is the latest in a long list of political endorsers, but what do these endorsements really mean in the democratic race for governor?
Political analysts say that Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk seem to be getting different types of support as the primary draws near.
"It's a contest, essentially, between Tom Barrett and Kathleen Falk. Kathleen Falk has a lot of union endorsements. Barrett, lately, has been ringing up quite a few political endorsements," said UWGB Political Science Professor Emeritus Michael Kraft.
Ten different organized labor unions have thrown their support behind Falk, while Barrett has received support from the likes of Senator Herb Kohl and former Representative David Obey.
"I think we'll see many more names like this coming up. It's a way of a candidate saying important people who have held office and know the state and the citizens of the state have endorsed one or the other," Kraft said.
In a phone interview with NBC26, Falk says she's proud of her union backers.
"This election will not be decided by politicians. This election will be decided by the people who have been spending the whole last year standing out in the cold, who have fought back against Governor Walker and have been in this fight since day one, like I have," said Falk.
Barrett says, while important, the race is about more than just union issues.
"This is not solely about union issues at all. In fact, to the contrary. I think people are very upset that we just saw the largest cut to education in the state's history. I can tell you that my municipality had the largest cut it's ever received in its history," he said.
Political analysts say they expect more politicians and union leaders to announce their endorsements over the next couple weeks. But in the end, it all comes down to what the voters decide on June 5th.
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