As Nevada heads into its final week of Early Voting, the Culinary Union has launched a widespread campaign combining digital billboards, grassroots canvassing, and direct voter outreach. The union’s central message—“Trump is for Trump”—highlights what it sees as former President Trump’s self-serving policies, contrasting them with a vision of support for working families. The Culinary Union, with its political organizers and door-knocking efforts, is working to mobilize Nevada voters in favor of candidates who they believe will champion the economic interests of hospitality and service workers.
Statewide “Trump is for Trump” Billboard Campaign
This statewide campaign, launched October 7, is active in high-traffic areas across Las Vegas and Reno, with 15 billboard placements in Southern Nevada and 8 in Northern Nevada. These billboards reinforce the Culinary Union’s position that former President Trump’s policies serve personal rather than public interest. In addition to the digital billboards, a static A-FRAME version of the ad is placed outside the union’s headquarters on Main Street and Wyoming Avenue.
Reaching Voters Door-to-Door
A cornerstone of the Culinary Union’s strategy involves mobilizing 600 political organizers who have canvassed across the state, with the goal of reaching over 900,000 doors and engaging 130,000 voters by Election Day. This historic effort emphasizes direct voter engagement, with canvassers meeting face-to-face with community members to discuss key issues and advocate for pro-worker policies.
“The path to victory and the White House runs through Nevada and Culinary Union members, who need leaders willing to address corporate power, lower living costs, and fight for workers,” said Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge. “Kamala Harris has consistently stood with hospitality workers, pushing for fair wages, affordable housing, and protections against corporate greed. Her commitment to our issues is unmatched.”
Harris and Walz: A Platform for Working Families
The union is endorsing Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President, pointing to their focus on policies that align with the needs of Nevada’s working families. Harris’ platform includes capping rent increases, funding affordable housing, eliminating taxes on tips, and raising the minimum wage—measures that resonate with the Culinary Union’s base of hospitality workers.
The union, which is Nevada’s largest organization of working women and one of the state’s most diverse labor groups, views this election as historic, with a chance to elect the first woman President. The campaign’s reach spans key demographics, including Black, Latino, Asian American, and immigrant voters.
Statewide Billboard Locations
Billboards have been strategically placed in Nevada’s major traffic corridors to ensure maximum visibility:
Southern Nevada Locations:
• U.S. Highway 95, north of Main Street, facing west
• Interstate 15 near Saint Rose Parkway, facing north and south
• Paradise Road near Harmon Avenue, facing north and south
• Flamingo Road near Interstate 15, facing west
• Additional placements along major intersections and highways, including Charleston Boulevard, Wigwam Avenue, and Tropicana Avenue
Northern Nevada Locations:
• U.S. Highway 95, north of Fallon
• Interstate 80, near Mile Marker 28, and close to Lockwood
• Highway 395 near Mount Rose Junction and south of Gardnerville
• Interstate 580 near Second Street, facing north and south
This widespread placement targets both local residents and out-of-state visitors, ensuring that the Culinary Union’s message reaches a diverse audience.
Engaging Voters Through Digital Media
Alongside its billboard campaign, the union launched a video series on social media, with a 30-second and 15-second ad titled “Kamala Harris fights for us.” This ad focuses on Harris’ stance against corporate profiteering and her commitment to lower food, gas, and housing costs for American families. These videos are featured on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, expanding the campaign’s reach.
A Legacy of Worker Advocacy
Celebrating its 89th anniversary on November 1, 2024, the Culinary Union has a storied history of organizing for economic and racial justice. Representing 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, the union’s diverse membership includes workers from 178 countries, with 55% women and 60% immigrants. The union’s demographics are approximately 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, and 12% Black, with members serving in various roles in the hospitality sector, from room attendants to servers and cooks.
The Culinary Union operates within the larger framework of UNITE HERE, the hospitality workers’ union, which manages the largest labor-led independent canvassing program in the nation, deploying 1,800 canvassers to knock on 3.5 million doors in battleground states like Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.
Looking Forward
The Culinary Union’s push to elect pro-worker candidates underscores the political power of Nevada’s hospitality sector. As Nevada’s largest labor organization, the union is set to play a pivotal role in the 2024 election, mobilizing workers who share a common goal of securing a fairer economy for all Nevadans. With a proven track record and commitment to grassroots outreach, the Culinary Union continues to shape Nevada’s political landscape, using nearly 90 years of organizing experience to champion the rights of working families.
The union offers interviews in both English and Spanish, with an opportunity for journalists to shadow canvassers in the field. To participate in upcoming events or schedule interviews with Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge, reporters are encouraged to reach out to contact Bethany Khan for more information.
