Alyson Kennedy, the vice-presidential nominee of the Socialist Workers Party, was in Washington this past week campaigning with local longshoremen and overseeing the completion of the SWP’s petition efforts in that state. According to an article in the SWP’s newsletter The Militant, this was something of a return visit for Kennedy:
John Fischer, a retired longshore worker, gave Kennedy a hug, saying, “I’m really glad to see you again.†In 2004 Fischer helped organize solidarity with striking coal miners at the Co-Op Mine near Huntington, Utah. At the time, Kennedy was one of the striking miners who traveled to Seattle to speak to members of the longshore union. Several veteran union members recalled the visit and the solidarity and money that was raised for the miners’ fight.
While Kennedy was in Seattle, SWP supporters gathered their 2,000th signature, reaching their goal of twice the number of signatures required to put the SWP’s Róger Calero/Alyson Kennedy presidential ticket on the ballot.