NEW YORK – 32BJ members today announced their support for Zephyr Teachout, Anna Throne-Holst and other progressive candidates running for Congress in New York as the fractious Presidential Election has brought new opportunities to Democratic candidates and opens the possibility of Democratic control of Congress and the Senate.

“Across our state, our members and all New Yorkers are disgusted by Donald Trump’s divisive, racist, anti-immigrant, sexist, xenophobic language and by the Republican candidates who are embracing him. That’s why they are enthusiastically supporting Hillary Clinton and progressive candidates like Zephyr Teachout and Anna Throne-Holst who will represent the voices of working people who want economic and racial justice, a $15 federal minimum wage, a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and protection of union rights. “

Members endorsed Zephyr Teachout in New York’s Congressional District 19; Anna Throne-Holst in New York’s Congressional District 1; Tom Suozzi in New York’s Congressional District 3; DuWayne Gregory in New York’s Congressional District 2; and Sean Patrick Maloney in New York’s Congressional District 18.

In the battlegrounds of Long Island and the Hudson Valley, 32BJ is committed to progressive candidates for U.S. Congress. Members decided to support these candidates because they will fight for progressive change in Washington.

“We’re supporting these candidates because they will stand up for working people in Washington,” said Silvia Ventura, a commercial cleaner who lives on Long Island. “This year we have seen the hateful rhetoric of Donald Trump and other Republicans candidates in our state who want to divide working people but we know that we are stronger when we stick together and elect candidates who want to raise our wages and protect our rights.”

With 155,000 members in eleven states and Washington, D.C., including 80,000 in New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.