Ohio AFL-CIO's Tim Burga on Primary Results and November Stakes

Tim Burga, President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast the morning after Ohio's primary election to deliver a labor-focused breakdown of the results. Of roughly 160 candidates and issues endorsed by the Ohio AFL-CIO and its Central Labor Councils (CLCs), approximately three-quarters were successful.

Union members seeking a party nomination had a strong night — highlighted by Ironworker Brian Poindexter winning the Democratic congressional primary in Ohio's 7th District. With Amy Acton set to face Vivek Ramaswamy in the governor's race and Sherrod Brown challenging John Husted for a U.S. Senate seat, Burga said the general election stakes could not be higher. He believes labor's boots-on-the-ground operation will be the difference-maker in November.

• The Ohio AFL-CIO and its affiliated labor councils endorsed approximately 160 candidates and issues on the primary ballot, with about three-quarters winning, including union members Davida Russell in House District 181, Nicole Sigurdson in House District 191 and Ironworker Brian Poindexter, who won the Democratic congressional primary in Ohio's 7th District.
• The general election will feature Amy Acton against Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, and Sherrod Brown against John Husted for U.S. Senate. There will also be 99 Ohio House seats and 17 of 33 Ohio Senate seats on the ballot. Burga believes Democrats have a chance to strip Republicans of their supermajority in the state House.
• Burga described November as the most consequential election of his lifetime, calling for a reckoning on money in politics, gerrymandering, and the absence of policies that help working people get ahead. He also expressed optimism that voters will deliver significant change in the fall.

Labor Had a Good Primary Night in Ohio — Now the Real Work Begins

Tim Burga was up late. Ohio's primary election wrapped up Tuesday night with results that the Ohio AFL-CIO president called a good night for labor — not a perfect one, but a solid foundation for what he described as the most consequential general election of his lifetime.

The Ohio Labor Federation and its CLCs entered Ohio’s primary day having endorsed roughly 160 candidates and ballot issues. About three-quarters of those endorsements were successful. For an organization that takes its endorsement process seriously, Burga said the success rate reflects months of deliberate candidate selection and member mobilization.

Union Members Won

The results that generated the most energy were the union members who ran and won. Davida Russell won the Democratic primary in House District 181. Nicole Sigurdson won in House District 191. And Ironworker Brian Poindexter — a familiar face to anyone who has followed the building trades in northeastern Ohio — won the Democratic congressional primary in Ohio's 7th District, earning a shot at a seat in the U.S. House. Poindexter's campaign drew significant outside support and was competitive enough to generate television advertising across the region. Burga singled him out as one of the night's real highlights.

The General Election Matchups Are Set

All five Ohio statewide executive offices are on the November ballot, all of them open seats — though Burga noted that three incumbent Republicans are simply running for different offices. At the top of the ticket, Democrat Amy Acton will face Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. For U.S. Senate, Sherrod Brown returns to the ballot after his 2024 loss, this time facing Lt. Gov. John Husted. Both races are expected to draw significant national attention and major outside spending.

Down the ballot, the legislative math is meaningful. All 99 Ohio House seats are on the ballot in November. Democrats need to flip five to break the Republican supermajority that Burga said has been running without meaningful checks for years. Seventeen of 33 state Senate seats are also competitive. Six months of organizing, endorsing and member education lie ahead.

Money, Maps and the Fight for November

Burga was candid about the structural challenges labor faces. Citizens United, he said, has flooded Ohio politics with money, distorting the playing field and corrupting the process. Gerrymandered legislative maps compound the problem by designing outcomes before a single vote is cast. He stopped short of blaming either party exclusively for the current map battles, acknowledging that both sides are now engaged in redistricting wars. But he made clear that independent commissions are the only legitimate solution.

What labor brings to the table, he argued, is something money cannot fully replicate: organized people. Union members and their families who understand a candidate's record, who have been educated by their Local Union on what is at stake and who show up to vote, volunteer and persuade. That is the infrastructure that makes competitive races winnable, Burga said. Building it over the next six months is the Ohio AFL-CIO's primary task.

Burga closed with a note of genuine optimism. The conditions are in place, he said, for voters to deliver a reckoning — one that reasserts the rule of law, restores checks and balances in government and demands policies that actually help working people get ahead. The outcome is in the hands of the voters. He expects a big change coming in November.

More information on the Ohio AFL-CIO's endorsements and voter education work is available through the organization's local CLCs.

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