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North Dakota IBEW Takes on Karl Rove and Big Money Special Interests

October 9, 2012

Not being a host to a competitive Senate election in more than 25 years, reliably Republican North Dakota isn’t used to a lot of campaign attack ads.

But Karl Rove, founder of one of the largest of all the pro-Wall Street Super PACs, Crossroads GPS, and other K Street lobbyists like the Chamber of Commerce are flooding the North Dakota airwaves with negative TV commercials. Their target: former state attorney general and nominee for the U.S. Senate, Heidi Heitkamp.

Says Minot Local 714 member Bob Wolf:

The money is pouring in here from out of state. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing an ad attacking Heidi. But the truth is she’s got a real shot in November, which is good news for the middle class because she is a true friend of working families.

Wolf also serves as the local’s political action committee.

Heitkamp is taking on Rep. Rick Berg, an ultra-conservative politician who is best known as one of the wealthiest men in Congress. Berg voted to abolish the use of project labor agreements on federal construction projects and supported GOP vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan’s plan to end Medicare as we know it.

Berg, the former North Dakota house majority leader, is also known for his refusal to vote in favor of highway and other infrastructure projects that would have benefited working families and industry – particularly in the now booming oil- and gas-rich western part of the state.

Says Eleventh District International Representative Mark Hager, who also serves as the state’s grassroots political coordinator:

Berg is one of those 1 percenters – a self-serving millionaire. He has always shown a caviler attitude toward folks in the middle.

Wolf says despite all the outside money in race, grassroots activism can put Heitkamp over the top Nov. 6.

Heidi has been there for veterans, workers, women, and we’re letting every IBEW member and their family know that North Dakota needs to send her to Washington.

The IBEW kicked off phone banking after Labor Day and has been using text messaging to organize volunteers on the quick.

Says Wolf:

A couple weeks ago, we needed to volunteers to put together lawn signs. After sending out a text, we got 15 people at the campaign headquarters in no time.