Races to watch and news you can use as ACCA-PAC gears up for election day

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With the election less than a week away, ACCA and its Political Action Committee are hard at work laying the groundwork for contractor priorities regardless of which party emerges victorious. But we can’t do it without you! Your team’s participation in the democratic process is critical to our industry’s influence in the years ahead, so we’re eager to give you the inside scoop. 

Share ACCA’s election center with your team 

Voting is a sacred right of all Americans, but it is particularly important for small business owners and managers for whom the election outcome will determine how you are or are not allowed to conduct business.  

While you can’t tell your employees who to vote for, you can certainly encourage them to vote and be personally invested in building relationships with newly elected leaders – some of whom may be your customers! 

That’s why accadvocacy.org has a whole section dedicated to election resources!  

Our voting details tool lets you look up how and where to vote, including early voting options. You’ll also find information about those down-ballot races you may not have had a chance to think about yet. 

You’ll also find dozens of articles profiling key races to watch on election night, such as our latest Look at the House and Senate Snapshot. 

Check back for more updates after the election and be sure to join us for full analysis at the Virtual Contractor Town Hall on November 17 – 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. 

ACCA-PAC’s races to watch 

With so much at stake, ACCA-PAC has significantly increased its activity this cycle, donating $37,750 to contractor champions from both parties. We’re able to share more detail with members who grant prior approval for communications from ACCA-PAC, but I wanted to offer a few highlights of contractors and their allies running for Congress. 

Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) 

ACCA-PAC’s largest investments this cycle have gone to former contractor Randy Weber who has become our go-to on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. At a recent fundraiser in his Galveston district, Weber and I broke bread with that committee’s chairman, Brett Guthrie (R-KY), allowing a lengthy conversation about the looming crisis of states rushing a transition to highly flammable A3 refrigerants. Weber’s district appears safe, but ACCA-PAC’s backing has allowed him to support (and introduce us to) candidates in more contested races like Alex Mealer, who is seeking the open seat in TX-9. 

 

Jennifer Davis (R-IL)

When an Oklahoma plumber named Markwayne Mullin ran for the House a decade ago, ACCA-PAC supporters like Davisware founder Jennifer Davis helped us propel him into Congress and ultimately the President’s cabinet. Now Davis herself is running for Congress in the 8th district of Illinois and ACCA-PAC hosted a virtual fundraiser that brought in over $10k to support her campaign. Davis’ is a challenging district, but she is running a tech-savvy campaign and every cycle has a few upset winners who become the darling of party leadership, so we’re eager to support her. 

Joe Strada (R-FL)

When former contractor Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) announced his retirement, we were thrilled to see Joe Strada of ACCA silver member Strada Services step up to fill his shoes! Strada’s priorities include cutting burdensome regulations and unleashing American energy. We look forward to having another contractor in Congress, alongside Reps. Randy Weber and Mark Messmer (R-IN).  

 

 

Supporting business friendly Democrats

With most House forecasts predicting a democratic takeover, moderates who sometimes “slip the leash” of the party leadership will wield outsized influence in stopping bad ideas and promoting good ones. With that in mind, ACCA-PAC supported Blue Dog PAC which champions ten business-friendly Democrats. All three Democratic co-sponsors of the Energy Choice Act (H.R. 3619) – Reps. Vicente Gonzales (D-TX), Adam Gray (D-CA), and Jared Golden (D-ME) – are members of the caucus and we’ll need more voices like theirs over the next two years. 

The morning after – building relationships early 

As we gear up for the next Congress and state legislative sessions, your engagement is absolutely critical. 

First, we want to hear who you know amongst newly elected state and federal legislators. Perhaps you’ve done work in their home or supported their campaign? Please share your relationships with govt@acca.org and be sure to reach out with a message of congratulations (CC us!) on the morning after the election. 

We also need your voice on what ACCA should prioritize! Over the past two months, we’ve gathered feedback on the GR Committee’s discussion draft, but that process kicks into high gear with the added context of Tuesday’s results. We hope you’ll join us in-person or virtually over the next few weeks: 

• The ACHR News HVAC Contractor Forum in Frisco, TX where PHCC’s Mark Valentini and I will lead “The Morning After: What Will the Election Mean for Contractor Priorities?” on November 4, 8:15-9:15 am 

• ACCA’s inaugural Enterprise Member Roundtable on November 11 – email john.losh@acca.org if you’re a larger enterprise interested in joining these sessions 

• AACP’s Industry Insights in Laurel, MD on Friday, November 13 

• And, of course, our Virtual Contractor Town Hall on November 17, which will also be available as an interactive recording after the event. 

This is all in preparation for the 2027 ACCA Advocacy Day on Wednesday, March 10 — day one of ACCA 2027 in Washington, DC. We’ll brief you on the issues, coach you on effective advocacy, and arrange meetings with key Senators and Representatives from your state.  

See you at the polls and in Washington, DC!

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Posted In: Government, Voting