FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 09, 2026
June 09, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Former Rep. Ben McAdams for Election to U.S. House
Categories:
Congress, Election 2026, House
AFGE says McAdams has the experience needed to advocate for AFGE and federal employees on Capitol Hill
AURORA, Colo. –– The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Ben McAdams for election to the U.S. House of Representatives representing Utah’s 1st Congressional District in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is June 23, and the general election is Nov. 3.
McAdams served as U.S. representative during the 116th Congress, from 2019 to 2021, during which time he cosponsored or voted on various bills to support public-sector employees, including:
- The Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act, which would extend statutory workplace protections to one of the few federal employee groups still denied those rights;
- The Federal Civilian Workforce Pay Raise Fairness Act, which blocked the first Trump administration from illegally withholding pay increases from federal employees;
- The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, which would extend collective bargaining rights to police officers, firefighters, and EMTs in states that denied them those protections.
- The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close the wage gap and protect workers who share salary information from retaliation.
“We appreciated Ben’s support for AFGE members and federal employees in his previous term in Congress and look forward to working with him again,” AFGE District 11 National Vice President Tim Snyder said. “We need a strong candidate like Ben to win this congressional district in November and an experienced lawmaker like him to advocate for AFGE and federal employees on Capitol Hill.”
McAdam’s mother was a public-school teacher and union member, and that experience of watching her fight for stability on a teacher’s salary shaped his understanding of the critical role unions play for workers.
Before his election to Congress, McAdams served as mayor of Salt Lake County, and, before that, as a Utah state senator. When he became mayor in 2013, the county had no formal relationship with labor unions. Under his leadership, Salt Lake County recognized labor unions for the first time and began working with them. McAdams worked with labor to reform procurement policy, adding preference points for employers who provide health care and other benefits to their workers. That structural change meant taxpayer dollars would actively steer county contracts toward employers who treat their workers well.
More than 35,000 federal employees live in Utah – caring for veterans at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center and regional clinics, supporting the military at Hill Air Force Base and five other military installations, ensuring Social Security recipients receive their benefits accurately and on time, and keeping planes and passengers safe at the Salt Lake City International Airport and five regional airports in Utah.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents more than 68,500 federal employees in District 11, which includes Alaska, Colorado, Guam, Idaho, Montana, Okinawa, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
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