Working Families Propel Obama to White House, Win in Senate, House

by Mike Hall, Nov 5, 2008

After last night’s historic election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney sums it up well, saying:

The political pendulum is swinging back toward sanity, after many months of work by people of all ages, races, stations and faiths hungry for change.

Obama’s victory was sealed when West Coast polls closed last night, and we await the final calls in North Carolina and Missouri, where the race between Obama and Sen. John McCain remains too close to call. As of 11 a.m., Obama has 349 electoral votes in his column and McCain 163.

The popular vote total tally stands at Obama, with 62.4 million (52 percent) and McCain, 55.4 million (46 percent).

Several important congressional races remain too close call. Working families picked up five Senate seats last night, but the races in Alaska, Georgia and Oregon remain too close to call.

In Minnesota, where Democrat Al Franken is challenging incumbent Republican Norm Colemen, the secretary of state has announced that with all precincts in, the margin is within four-hundredths of 1 percent of the vote, mandating an automatic statewide canvass and recount.

With these three races yet to call, Democrats hold 56 seats and Republicans 41. (Click here and here for more on the Senate wins.)

In the House, Democrats picked up 17 seats and, according to CNN, now hold a 253–172 advantage, with 10 races undecided this morning.

Millions of union volunteers and a record turnout of union family voters helped propel Obama to wins in key battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and others, in addition to wins in states like Indiana, Florida, Nevada and Colorado that, in some cases, have voted for decades for Republican presidents. Says Sweeney:  

Barack Obama brings new hope to America’s working families, and our increased majority in the Senate means we can translate that hope into reality.

One of the first fruits of that victory may be a much-needed economic recovery package for working families. Associated Press reporter Christopher S. Rugebar writes:

Barack Obama’s victory in the presidential race will give labor unions and the embattled U.S. auto industry a strong ally in the White House.

His election Tuesday also makes congressional approval of a fresh economic stimulus package—perhaps as large as $150 billion—more likely, economists say.

Be sure to check back throughout the day as we bring more reaction to the sweeping change voters made last night and a closer look at how union voters helped fuel that change.

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