As with nearly every aspect of life, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected how candidates campaign, how people vote, and, as a result, how credit union leaders advocate.

But one constant remains amid these changes: The nonpartisan approach CUNA and the leagues take to support credit union-friendly candidates with messages of how credit unions advance their local communities and transform the financial lives of members—elected officials’ constituents.

This episode of the CUNA News Podcast, recorded shortly before the 2020 election, features a conversation with Trey Hawkins, CUNA’s deputy chief advocacy officer for political action.

He takes us through possible election scenarios and their implications for credit unions, priority races for the CUNA/league advocacy team, advocacy advice for credit union leaders, and more.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.

In this episode

1:23: How this election cycle differs from others

4:40: Presidential election: Implications for credit unions

7:10: The credit union movement’s “secret sauce”

8:25: Advocacy resources

10:47: Priority races

14:01: Virtual advocacy

18:14: Advocacy advice

19:45: How Trey became interested in politics

22:20: CUNA’s new election page