GOP sees opportunity in card check

Republicans on both sides of the Capitol are using a divisive labor union bill to raise cash and launch new attacks on Democratic supporters of the measure, which would ease unionizing requirements.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has teed up press releases attacking Democrats who have signed on as co-sponsors to the Employee Free Choice Act — the name Democrats have given the union bill. The committee will follow up with a blitz of talk radio interviews, op-eds in business journals and online fundraising pitches.

In the Senate, the Republican campaign arm pressuring Arkansas Democrat Blanche L. Lincoln — a key moderate swing vote on the measure — to pick a side on the controversial bill. The National Republican Senatorial Committee will also circulate releases highlighting the campaign funds unions have contributed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who is up for reelection next year.

The union legislation will be introduced in the House today. Republicans call the legislation the “card check” because it would do away with the secret ballot by giving workers the chance to unionize by simply signing a card. The legislation appears to lack the 60 votes needed in the Senate, so it may stall in the upper chamber.

Having a hot button issue like labor union legislation to fuel fund raising couldn’t come at a better time for the GOP. On the brink of a critical special election in upstate New York, Republicans in the House made another fundraising push Tuesday for James Tedisco, their candidate for the Albany-area seat. Tedisco opposes the Employee Free Choice Act…

… Republican leader John A. Boehner told colleagues the race could create major “momentum” for a party that could use it, telling his rank and file that it is “time to step up,” according to people in the room.

It’s unclear how much money Republicans will be able to raise based solely on the labor union bill, but moderate Democrats are bound to get hammered on the issue in the coming days.
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