From today’s press release from the Massachusetts Nurses Association:
CANTON, Mass. — Just days after Elizabeth Warren announced the establishment of an exploratory committee for her potential U.S. Senate run in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the state’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses, unanimously endorsed her pending candidacy at its most recent Board of Directors meeting. The leadership at the MNA’s national affiliate, the National Nurses United (NNU), has also unanimously voted to support Warren.
The MNA is the first labor union to endorse Warren, and its 23,000 nurse members combined with 147,000 additional NNU members from across the country helps provide the potential Senate candidate with strong motivation to enter the race.
“Even though she is not yet an official candidate, the MNA Board has taken the unprecedented step of voting to support her,” said Donna Kelly-Williams, RN and president of the MNA. “Her dedication to the nation’s middle class, which she has demonstrated through her work as a faithful consumer advocate both locally and nationally, reflects one of the MNA’s key goals: Restoring a basic standard of living for working people by creating financial remedies that hold Wall Street accountable while protecting those who live and work on Main Street USA.”
Read more here
Full disclosure: I work as a Community Organizer for the for the Mass. Nurses Association.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association is a union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. With 23,000 members of its own, the MNA is also a founding member of National Nurses United, the largest national nurses union in the United States with more than 170,000 members from coast to coast.
Doesn’t it at least make sense to see if she is a candidate first, or is the hope that this vote will help encourage her to run?
I think that ryepower12 made a good point that answers your question–sometimes candidates wait to see if they have support before officially entering a race. And knowing that you have 23,000 bedside nurses behind you is a good start!
Nurses see firsthand how the current economy is affecting everyone in our country–increased stomach ulcers, neglected health because of lack of insurance, depression and other mental health issues– and really see the need to focus on supporting those on Main Street with good jobs, health care and education instead of continuing to support Wall Street. Elizabeth Warren will stand for those values if elected so the nurses knew they had to take some action to encourage her to run and also do whatever they can to support her campaign.
And nurses know that the best way to solve any problem, whether it is a spreading disease or a Senator who bows to the demands of Wall Street, is to intervene as early as possible!
Lainey (MNA community organizer)
We will know soon enough if Elizabeth Warren is in the race.
As you know, she’s getting a lot of encouragement to run.
I’m overwhelmed by the response I’ve seen to her by campaign-winning volunteers throughout Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties (where I work for the MNA).
–Leo
Leo Maley; Community Organizer, Massachusetts Nurses Association; Chair, Amherst Democratic Town Committee
The MNA endorsement of Elizabeth Warren for Senate, albeit, a bit early, is a bold decision for labor, and specifically , for the MNA, an affiliate of the National Nurses United. At least half of the Mass labor vote went to Brown in the last election, and he squandered the support he won ….that being said, the nurses came out fast and furious, recognizing an outspoken potential candidate with strong appeal for working professionals in health care, front line caregivers looking for a voice for the average worker in Massachusetts. Warren has had conversations with a variety of voters here in western Mass and has garnered unprecedented support. It seems that her method of talking with voters before the press is
working in her favor and allowing voters to have healthy debates before the announced decision to run. So far, Warren speaks her own mind, and the MNA s early endorsement may be a harbinger of bold thiongs to come.
Is that real Latin? I don’t know cito off hand. Otherwise “He gives twice/both who gives…”?
After the page reloaded I saw it was linked – carry on.
Elizabeth Warren would make a great senator for the state of Massachusetts and the nation. She is very intelligent and seems genuinely concerned about fairness in financial transaction regulation. Furthermore she understands that the laws that since the great depression kept our economy from imploding like it almost did (and still might) in 2008.
That is great news. I am ready to hear her announce her candidacy though. It’s hard to support her and talk about her as a candidate when technically she isn’t one. I can’t wait to get started so I wish she would get going on that.
Last week’s Town Dem meeting:
Chatting with people, walking out of the meeting, someone says she thinks women would love to vote for Elizabeth, but that for some reason she didn’t think nurses would.
Why? I ask. “Nurses aren’t democrats.” She says.
Could have fooled me, I said, given that my family is made up of equal parts teachers, nurses and everyone else, and all the nurses are the democrats.
I also referenced the MNA as one of the more important unions in the state out there, both for the work they do on behalf of nurses and the feet on the ground they add for candidates of their choice, often the strongest of our democrats.
After the conversation, I think I had her convinced nurses were just about the most important people — and democratic supporters — out there. While I can’t officially confirm that fact, I would happily agree, as much from personal experience on campaigns I’ve worked on as out of affection for my mother and her five famous words she ‘oft repeated to me when I was a kid: “Never vote for a Republican.”
All the aside, aside, bravo for having the gumption to endorse an almost-candidate. We need her in the race and having a strong network of support to back someone from the start is the best way to get someone in — because the “can I win?” question is often the first question serious people ask of themselves before they jump in the race to become serious candidates.
Prof. Warren today announced her appreciation for the MNA endorsement, stating: “I am truly honored by the endorsement. If I were actually running, it would be of tremendous importance to my campaign. I look forward to more support for my non-candidacy. I would deeply apprecaite financial support so I can determine whether I can subsidize my hypothetical bid for office. Having no present employment, I am devoting all of my efforts to distinguishing myself from those who are actually running and might have the temerity to seek enorsement from groups like the MNA.”
Liz Warren, non-candidate for Senate