Business group sees body blow to 'card-check' in Lincoln win

By Michael O'Brien - 06/09/10 06:40 AM ET

A key business group saw a body blow for "card-check" legislation on Tuesday night in Arkansas.

The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI), a group opposed to the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a piece of union-organizing legislation favored by organized labor, seized on incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln's victory over the state's lieutenant governor in a closely contested Democratic primary.

"A massive investment on the part of union bosses, which they will not be able to duplicate in other races, resulted in a loss for Big Labor’s poster-child candidate, producing a general election where both nominees will oppose [EFCA]," WFI Director Katie Packer said in a statement.

Lincoln eked out a 52-48 percent victory over Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter (D) last night after labor groups had spent around $10 million to unseat the centrist senator, who had angered unions over her opposition to the card-check bill, as well as the public option in healthcare reform.

The move pitted labor, usually a Democratic constituency, against the party establishment, which had backed Lincoln as the better general-election candidate against challenger John Boozman, a Republican congressman in the state.

WFI pointed out that Halter had refused to answer questions on EFCA throughout the race, despite his heavy union backing. While there is a sizable labor movement in the state, it is also the headquarters to companies like Wal-Mart, which has fought back against unionizing its employees.

Halter's ambiguity on the issue, along with Lincoln's win, helped signal the death knell for card-check, WFI argued.

"Blanche Lincoln’s victory, coupled with Big Labor’s failure to get its candidate to endorse their top legislative priority even after spending millions of dollars, speaks volumes to how far [EFCA] has fallen in the last year and serves as an unambiguous victory for those who oppose forced unionization," Packer said.