For candidates
seeeking our endorsement
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C.O.P.E., or the Committee on Political Education, is the political action arm of the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO made up of delegates from our 90 affiliated unions. Its core objectives include political education, facilitating member-to-member communications about political issues, endorsing candidates, and getting union members out to vote for endorsed candidates.
Below is the timeline and process for our COPE endorsement in the 11/4/25 Special Election for Congressional District 18:
Early June: We will email a questionnaire to candidates that have (1) filed to run for CD 18, regardless of party affiliation (2) that have indicated their interest in our endorsement by emailing candidates@gcaflcio.org and filling out the form at https://www.gcaflcio.org/for-candidates#endorsementform , or (3) that we have heard might file to run for CD 18, if we can find their contact information. Note: It is the responsibility of candidates seeking our endorsement to communicate their interest to us.
Tuesday, July 1st: Deadline for candidates seeking our endorsement to submit a completed questionnaire, resume, and campaign literature to candidates@gcaflcio.org.
Tuesday, July 8
The COPE Committee will review all questionnaires and invite a subset of strong candidates (e.g. align with our values and policy goals, provide solid evidence that they are competitive candidates,etc.) to screen with our COPE Committee on Tuesday, July 8. The committee will ask questions to better understand your positions on various issues that impact working people and the strength of your campaign plans.
Screenings are by invitation only. Because our members’ time is limited, we will not be able to screen all candidates.
If the COPE Committee develops consensus, the COPE Committee will bring a recommendation for COPE endorsement to delegates of affiliated unions.
Wednesday, July 9: Union delegates vote on the COPE Committee’s endorsement recommendation at the monthly meeting of our union delegates.
Later in July, For COPE endorsements in state and federal races, the Texas AFL-CIO has final jurisdiction, so a decision by our delegates is formally a recommendation to the Texas AFL-CIO. The Texas AFL-CIO’s COPE will review and (usually) approves our labor council’s endorsement. Once that happens, we will publicly announce our COPE endorsement.
How does our endorsement process work?
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We offer one day candidate academies to help candidates learn more about our labor policy agenda. This includes a Labor 101 overview of unions, presentations by local labor leaders on the work they do, and an opportunity to get a better sense of the policies that empower working families on the job and in our communities.
We don’t offer a labor candidate academy in every election season. If one is offered, you will receive an invitation via email after you file to run for office.
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In order to be considered for a labor endorsement, you must submit a completed questionnaire and resume. Our questionnaires are drafted to be specific to each race we endorse in, and are used by union delegates to evaluate candidate backgrounds and determine whether or not they align with labor values and goals.
Questionnaires are emailed to candidates individually. If you would like to request a questionnaire, fill out the form below.
In partisan elections for state and federal offices, we email an invitation to seek our endorsement to every candidate who files for office, regardless of party affiliation. We are a non-partisan organization, and endorse candidates based on their demonstrated commitment to working people.
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All candidates who seek our endorsement must screen with our Committee on Political Education (COPE). This is a committee of delegates from our 95 affiliated unions. The committee will ask questions to better understand your positions on various issues that impact working people and the strength of your campaign plans.
The COPE committee will also evaluate your campaign materials to ensure you are showing your commitment to working people through your campaign’s use of union printers who pay fair wages and empower workers on the jobs.
After conducting screenings of candidates, the COPE committee votes to make recommendations. These recommendations are then submitted for approval at the monthly meeting of our union delegates. No endorsements are official until approved by a vote of the delegates from our 95 affiliated unions.
For candidates running for state and federal races, our endorsements are recommendations until approved by the statewide union delegates of the Texas AFL-CIO at the bi-annual COPE convention.
If you have any questions about our endorsement process, email candidates@gcaflcio.org.
We endorse candidates who fight for working people.
If you are running for office and are interested in seeking our endorsement, fill out the form below and we’ll contact you with more information.
For more information, email candidates@gcaflcio.org