Teachers union launches $15 million ad, mail campaign for Dems

The National Education Association (NEA) launched a $15 million ad campaign on Wednesday to help elect several Democratic lawmakers.

The nation’s largest union, with 3.2 million members, released its first round of television ads  supporting endangered incumbent Reps. Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.) and Betty Sutton (D-Ohio). In addition, NEA also has sent out as many as 75,000 pieces of mail in support of Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.). 

The NEA's first two ad buys are sizable. In Sutton's district, the NEA placed a $550,000 buy, and in Mitchell's district, the group is spending $650,000, according to independent expenditure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.   

The ad buys are part of a three-pronged campaign, expected to cost more than $40 million, to help candidates that are “clear pro-public education standout[s],” according to the teachers union press release. Along with the direct mail, radio and television ad effort, NEA is upping their member-to-member contact program and campaigning on several ballot initiatives across the country.  

Karen M. White, national political director for the NEA, said the union’s members will help boost voter turnout during an election year in which Democrats might suffer from their supporters’ lack of enthusiasm.

“In non-presidential years, our program can be particularly effective because our members vote at a higher rate than the general public and they are registered to vote at a higher rate than the general public,” White told The Hill. “Every off-year, we have to be focused on turnout.”

One factor that is driving teachers’ support for Democrats this year is when the House broke off from its August recess to approve a $26 billion emergency relief bill to prevent layoffs of teachers  and state and local government workers.

“When they saw that happen, they realized that it was important to be engaged more than ever this year,” White said about the NEA’s members. “They understand that the political process is connected to the legislative process.”

Along with Kissell, Mitchell and Sutton, the union plans to be active in several other races across the country. 

—Shane D'Aprile contributed to this post.