Edit

IFA Endorses Its Preferred Candidates in Midterm Elections

Government and Politics

November 3, 2022


Small business owners have endorsed Congressman Peters over his opponent, Corey Gustafson who manages a small business, because they know he has a record of supporting our small businesses’ growth so they can provide good jobs in our communities.

Learn more about it in this October 28th piece from Franchise Wire, posted below:

IFA Endorses Its Preferred Candidates in Midterm Elections

By Mary Vinnedge

‘Friends of Franchising’ Support Small Business Owners in Their States

The International Franchise Association has endorsed candidates who have signaled support for locally owned franchises. Each of these candidates, whom the IFA has designated as a “Friend of Franchising,” is running for office – U.S. Senate, House and a governorship – in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

An IFA news release stated that the candidates were chosen based on several factors, including their public statements, their past votes on business-related issues and their actions when holding a public office. The endorsed candidates have track records proving they want to advance business growth and employee development for the 775,000-plus franchise businesses in the United States; the choices were not related to party affiliation, according to IFA.

“They are champions for America’s local franchise small businesses,” IFA President and CEO Matthew Haller stated in the news release. “Local franchises are engines for growth in communities around the nation, and we need leaders who prioritize creating an environment for these entrepreneurs and their 8.2 million employees to grow and thrive.”

List of Endorsed Candidates

IFA endorsed the following U.S. Senate candidates, all of them Republicans: Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Adam Laxalt of Nevada, Joe O’Dea of Colorado, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Tiffany Smiley of Washington, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. Todd Young of Indiana.

In gubernatorial races, the IFA endorses Republican Heidi Ganahl of Colorado.

IFA Interactions with Lawmakers

IFA, now more than 60 years old, is the world’s largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA regularly meets with lawmakers at all levels around the United States, often presenting them with data about the franchise industry’s positive impact on the economy and on local communities. For instance, IFA statistics indicate that franchises contribute $787.7 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy.

In fall of 2022, IFA sent representatives to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers and their staffs. They held discussions with 200-plus members of Congress and federal officials, raising industry issues affecting franchisors, franchisees, franchise employees, suppliers and more. During those talks, the franchise industry representatives pressed for continuing the Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule and encouraged support for the Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act.

On another federal front, the IFA since early September has been lobbying against a proposed change in National Labor Relations Board regulations that would make franchisors liable for employment infractions by individual franchisees. At present, a business is legally considered to be a joint employer only if it has direct, immediate control over another business entity’s workers; the IFA is satisfied with this rule. Under the rule change, if enacted, a franchisor and franchisee would be considered joint employers if they “share or co-determine” rules and policies relating to terms and conditions of employment.