Director’s Corner: 2026 October Update

As we are now just 4 weeks out from the election, I wanted to share some thoughts on what I consider the tightest races of importance to AFSCME members this fall. 

Control of the Arizona legislature 

Amy Acton, Ohio governor 

David Crowley, Wisconsin governor 

The Wisconsin Assembly 

Aaron Ford, Nevada governor  

Control of the Minnesota legislature 

Keith Ellison, Minnesota AG 

Control of the Pennsylvania legislature 

Control of the Michigan legislature 

Troy Jackson, Maine senate 

Josh Turek, Iowa senate  

AFSCME Members & The Midterms 

AFSCME members are hungry for change, and we must communicate credibly what AFSCME-endorsed candidates will do to make that change real.  

AFSCME members want candidates who: 

• are willing to take on billionaires, corporations and corruption; 

• will deliver a fair economy and an affordable future; 

• have a plan to deliver on those key issues and understand the urgency to act now; 

• and come from working-class and union backgrounds and with an understanding of what it means to struggle. 

We are strongest when we communicate about the affordability crisis we all face, the villains who’ve caused it and our endorsed candidates’ credible plans to fix it. We should talk about protecting union workers’ benefits from billionaires and the Trump administration, taking on the corruption that is making life harder and more expensive for working people, and protecting critical benefits like Social Security.  

IT SHOULDN’T BE THIS HARD 
We’re all feeling the stress of trying to hold it together. Corruption and greed are driving up costs. Our jobs and benefits are being attacked. We know who is behind it: anti-union politicians and their billionaire allies. Now it’s time to get to work, electing trusted leaders with plans to fight the corruption that is making life so expensive. 

WE DECIDE WHAT’S NEXT 
In 2026, our future is on the ballot: workers’ rights and benefits, our jobs, a fair economy. Corrupt billionaires want to take it all away. AFSCME is how we fight back, keep what we have earned and build a future we can afford. We endorse and will vote for candidates we can trust to strengthen unions and stand up to Trump and corporate greed. Our power comes from solidarity, and we decide our future. 

TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A BETTER FUTURE 
When we stand together, we have the power to elect leaders we can trust to deliver for working people. We have the power to win better contracts, benefits and working conditions. We have the power to protect the public services families depend on and the jobs we do.