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Labor and the democratic party: A report on the 1998 elections

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Abstract

The nature of the relationship between organized labor and the Democratic party — still much debated among scholars —can be usefully examined through an analysis of the role of unions in the 1998 congressional elections. Evidence drawn from a wide range of sources shows that the AFL- CIO and its affiliated unions devoted considerable financial and organizational resources to mobilizing union members and allied con-stituencies to vote for Democratic candidates. Combined with the unions' direct finan-cial contributions to campaigns, this activity made unions important players in the elections and helped project an image of potency and effectiveness in the news media and among politicians. As a result, the labor/Democrat alliance remained stronger than one would expect on the basis of union density figures alone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Doshisha University, 602- 8580, Kyoto, Japan

    Taylor E. Dark

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  1. Taylor E. Dark
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Dark, T.E. Labor and the democratic party: A report on the 1998 elections. J Labor Res 21, 627–640 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12122-000-1036-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12122-000-1036-x

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