Labor Group Declines to Choose Between Robinson and Carter

Although he has been supported by labor unions for years and still pays dues to one, Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove) failed to receive full support for his congressional race Monday from Orange County’s major political action committee for unions.

Orange County’s Committee on Political Education of the AFL-CIO recommended an “open endorsement” for Democrats in the 38th Congressional District.

The action means that COPE’s more than 60 unions are free to campaign or raise money for either Robinson or Superior Court Judge David O. Carter, both seeking the Democratic nomination in June. They are trying to unseat conservative Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) in November.

Carter supporters were delighted with the vote. But Robinson campaign manager Hope Warschaw and Mary Yunt, AFL-CIO secretary treasurer in Orange County and a Robinson supporter, both termed it insignificant.

Yunt noted that the Los Angeles County division of COPE still must make its recommendation on the race tonight. And a final decision on endorsing either Carter or Robinson will not be made until April 10 when the executive committee of the California Federation of Labor meets in San Francisco.

Still, Yunt said, it was the first time “in the seven years I’ve been here” that Robinson had not received the COPE endorsement. “He always received the endorsement,” she said.

Meanwhile, Carter backers said they had not been counting on a full endorsement and were very pleased by the open endorsement.

“This means both candidates are strong labor candidates. It opens up places to hold phone banks. It’s walkers. It’s money” from the unions, said one Carter aide. He noted that Carter used to be a member of the Communications Workers Union and that Carter’s father was a Teamster. Carter has been asking union leaders in Orange County and in Washington for their endorsement since at least last November, some campaign workers said.

Earl Wooden, district representative for Painters Local 686 and an avowed Carter supporter, said the vote showed that Robinson did not have the labor vote “sewed up.”