BY DOUG JENNESS
ST. PAUL, Minnesota - In five states Socialist Workers Party candidates are off and running for elections to be held in 1998. Socialist Workers campaigns have been launched for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, for U.S. Senate in Ohio, for governor of Iowa, and for mayor of Newark, New Jersey. Announcement of campaigns are being prepared in another 10 states. In some areas campaign supporters are announcing an initial candidate in order to immediately offer a working-class voice of opposition to Washington's war moves against Iraq, with plans to add to their 1998 tickets later.

At a February 6 news conference in Cleveland, Matthew Herreshoff stated that one of the reasons he is running for U.S. Senate is to explain that "the employers who are preparing for war in Iraq are also waging war against working people in this country - attacking the trade unions, affirmative action, the rights of immigrants, Blacks and other oppressed nationalities, and women's right to choose abortion." He stated that he is urging support for several victims of police frame- ups. Herreshoff pledged to "speak out in defense of the Cuban revolution, and demand that Washington lift its brutal economic embargo against the Cuban people."

Michael Pennock, SWP candidate for U.S. Congress from Minnesota's 5th district, said his campaign "is off to a flying start." In the first week he spoke at a rally of 250 protesting Washington's threats against Iraq, appeared on a panel discussion on Iraq at a Militant Labor Forum, visited three pickets lines of striking Honeywell workers, joined a protest action against the bombing of an abortion clinic, and visited a local high school with a Young Socialists leader. He also sold several copies of the Militant and a copy of New International no. 7 to co-workers at the 3M-Cottage Grove plant. Pennock is a member of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers union.

Tom Alter hit the campaign trail for governor of Iowa by participating in actions to protest U.S. government war moves against Iraq. Alter, who is a member of the Socialist Workers National Campaign Committee, announced the campaign at a public hearing on the death penalty in the Iowa state legislature speaking with others against attempts to reinstate capital punishment in Iowa. "Washington's war moves against the Iraqi people and the attempt to reinstate the death penalty here are both a part of the rulers' war against workers and farmers at home and abroad." Alter, who is a member of the Young Socialists National Committee, works at the IBP meat packing plant in Perry and is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

Local campaigns are urged to send information about their activities and ballot plans to the Socialist Workers National Campaign Committee, P.O. Box 14239, St. Paul, MN 55114. Readers who are interested in helping local campaigns should consult the directory on page 12.

Doug Jenness is a member of the United Steelworkers of America and the director of the Socialist Workers National Campaign Committee.  
 
 
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