Unions want to start political party to oppose wayward Democrats

RALEIGH (Winston-Salem Journal) - A national union and its N.C. affiliate are trying to create a new political party in the state designed to challenge three Democratic members of Congress who voted against the final health-care bill.

Greg Rideout, a spokesman for the North Carolina First movement, said yesterday that the Service Employees International Union and State Employees Association of North Carolina are leading the effort. The union groups must collect more than 85,000 signatures by June 1 to become a certified party.