Teachers’ unions and elections

Sean Cavanaugh has penned an interesting article in Education Week on the influence of teacher union money in this fall’s state elections. As might be expected, Democrats are receiving the majority of support from the nation’s two largest teachers’ unions, the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers. Cavanaugh writes:    

The unions’ political organizations and employees have devoted a combined $8.2 million to Democratic candidates and party committees at the state level so far during the 2010 election cycle, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics, a non-partisan campaign finance research organization based in Helena, Montana. By comparison, just $938,000 in donations has flowed to GOP candidates and committees so far, according to institute data compiled through Sept. 27.

For those interested in a local angle, according to OpenSecrets.org,  the National Education Association donated $3.3 million to federal campaigns, political parties and ballot measures in North Carolina during the 2007 and 2008 election cycles.

For more insightful reading on the powerful influence of teachers unions, click here.