Endorsements for Sal Pace in District 3, Brandon Shaffer in District 4 and Joe Miklosi in District 6

Denver – Citing their backwards priorities and votes for Rep. Paul Ryan’s extremist budget proposal, which are hurting the middle class the working men and women of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) endorsed challengers in three Colorado Congressional races today.

SEIU’s 10,000 janitors, healthcare workers and public employee members endorsed State House Minority Leader Sal Pace to replace Rep. Scott Tipton in District 3, State Senate President Brandon Shaffer to replace Rep. Cory Gardner in District 4 and State Rep. Joe Miklosi to replace Rep. Mike Coffman in the 6th Congressional District.

“It is time for a change in Colorado from extremist to leadership on behalf of middle and working class families who remain in the brutal grip of the greatest economic crisis in a generation,” said SEIU Colorado State Council Director Lauren Martens. “There is no question that sacrifices must be made to address our nation's fiscal problems but we cannot allow Congress to declare class warfare on working families by forcing them to carry all the pain while billionaires jet-away.”

Congressmen Tipton, Gardner and Coffman all voted for Rep. Ryan’s extremist Tea Party budget that would have abolishing Medicaid and Medicare as we know it. All three sided with the extremists willing to let our government shutdown and our nation default instead of working to forge a compromise on behalf of their constituents. And none of them have proposed and passed legislation that will put Americans to work, fix our schools and repair our bridges and instead have offered more trickle-down economics which hasn’t worked before and won’t work now.

“As a State Representative, my primary focus has been to create quality jobs and help Colorado’s working families,” said Representative Sal Pace. “I look forward to implementing practical and common-sense solutions that will help our local economies, put people back to work, and rebuild the middle class in our communities.”

“More people are joining this campaign every day, as they see that Washington is simply not working for them, and they need new leaders who will first and foremost, focus on putting people back to work,” said State Senate President Brandon Shaffer. “People like Felicia need a Congressman who is on their side, and who will work tirelessly to create jobs and get this economy moving again.”

"I'm so grateful for the strong support from working families throughout the region," said State Representative Joe Miklosi. ”We’ve got to end the gridlock in Washington and tackle the challenges ahead."

SEIU Colorado brings together over 10,000 healthcare workers, property service workers and public employees to build innovative partnerships with their employers and win more secure jobs for Colorado. With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers—not just corporations and CEOs—benefit from today's global economy.

"

###