Electing our Own to Public Office
AFSCME members don’t just provide vital public services that keep America moving forward, they also take their commitment to public service to a higher level by running for public office. Here are the stories of three inspiring individuals who won races in November.
Phyllis Thede
Photo Credit: Sheri Camahan
Davenport, Iowa - Democrat Phyllis Thede, a member of Local 751 (Council 61), easily defeated an incumbent to become a representative in the Iowa General Assembly.
A secretary in the Media Center at North High School in Davenport, Thede unseated Rep. Jamie Van Fossen (R) with 56 percent of the vote. She will represent the 81st House District, which encompasses most of east Davenport and a small part of west Bettendorf.
Thede has been an active member of her union, serving as president, vice president, contract negotiator and grievance chair. Two years ago, she narrowly lost a race for a state Senate seat.
Like Barack Obama, who became the nation’s first African-American President, Thede also made history — as the first African-American candidate from Scott County to win a seat in the Iowa statehouse. But breaking a race barrier wasn’t on her mind during the campaign, Thede told The Quad-City Times.
“I don’t think I ever thought about that. I really wanted to win the race for my constituents,” she explained. “It’s clear that we’re crossing party and color lines, and we’re finally listening to one another.”
Marcia Fudge
Photo Credit: Official Photo
Cleveland, Ohio - Marcia Fudge, daughter of Ohio Council 8 retiree Marion Garth-Saffold, was elected in November to represent the state’s 11th Congressional District, succeeding the late U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D), who died last August.
Jones was the first African-American woman to represent Ohio in Congress. Fudge, who had served as her chief of staff in Washington, recalled her former boss at her Nov. 4 victory celebration: “I know that she’s smiling and happy. I want to make her proud and her legacy something that we’ll never forget.”
Garth-Saffold, Fudge’s mother, is president of a retiree sub-chapter belonging to AFSCME Retiree Chapter 1184. She says her daughter “was ready to step right up” after Jones’ death. “We’re very proud of her.”
A former mayor of Warrensville Heights for several years, Fudge won the necessary three elections in order to represent a district that covers most of downtown and eastern Cleveland, and several eastern suburbs in Cuyahoga County.
To fill the last two months of Jones’ unexpired term, Fudge won two special elections. In a third election, she won the full two-year term that began in January.
Natalie Tennant
Photo Credit: Family Photo
Charleston, West Virginia - Democrat Natalie Tennant, a former member of Local 3248 (Council 77), won her race to become secretary of state, becoming responsible for overseeing elections, registering businesses and maintaining state records.
She won 65.5 percent of the vote to beat Charleston businessman Charles Minimah (R).
Ed Hartman, executive director of Council 77, says having someone in government who had been a member of the AFSCME family is a real plus. “It is such a benefit to AFSCME members to have someone like Natalie in this important statewide office. An active member, she has an intimate understanding of AFSCME issues.”
For instance, Hartman says the union has already spoken to Tennant about finding ways to loosen up the Hatch Act, a law that restricts public employees from running for office in a partisan election. Because of that statute, Tennant had to give up her state job — and her AFSCME membership — to seek public office.
This was Tennant’s second run for secretary of state. After her unsuccessful 2004 bid, the Clarksburg native became a financial education specialist in the state treasurer’s office, where she joined AFSCME.
In May, Tennant defeated two major Democratic primary opponents, House Majority Leader Joe DeLong and Senate Majority Whip Billy Wayne Bailey.
Tennant said she wants to put confidence back in the voting system, including the establishment of a diverse pool of poll workers. She also hopes to improve communication between the secretary of state and county clerks.
