WASHINGTON–While the credit union trade groups and political action committees always remain neutral in presidential elections, President Biden’s decision to not seek re-election and Kamala Harris’ near certainty to be the Democrat’s presidential nominee could affect races further down the ballot, and that is something worth watching, according to America’s Credit Unions.
Carrie Hunt, chief advocacy officer with the trade group, said ACU will be monitoring how Harris’ candidacy could alter races in which it does get involved, specifically House and Senate races.
Little Interaction With Financial Services
Prior to becoming vice president, Harris, of course, served in the Senate representing California. But during her time in the Senate, and when it comes to knowledge of credit union issues, Hunt noted Harris did not have much interaction with financial institution-related matters.
“There’s not a lot of engagement specifically on the policy side relative to financial services,” said Hunt. “In terms of some of the issues and the work that she's focused on, we can't predict whether she's going to take a special interest in some of our issues. That being said, our interactions were positive. Credit unions have always had strong support in in Congress. But I don't think reading the tea leaves there is going to bear much fruit.”