An important detail in SEIU's plan to spend $75 million this election cycle is the union's emphasis on Democratic accountability. The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse has the details:

[SEIU Secretary-Treasurere Anna] Burger said the $10 million accountability fund might be used to try to defeat 5 or 10 other candidates who don’t make good on their promises to support workers on various issues.

She said the money might also be used to run ads to criticize Democrats who her union believes take the wrong positions. For instance, she said her union ran ads criticizing Representative Dan Boren of Oklahoma when he opposed a bill to spend more money for health coverage for children.

Expanding programs that confront conservative Democrats is a great step for both labor and progressive activists in general. Mark Pera's primary campaign in Illinois' 3rd Congressional District this year is a prime example. To beat back the grassroots challenger, incumbent Dan Lipinski was forced to reverse his original support for an Iraq blank check bill, a vote he wouldn't have cast had Pera not been campaigning to his left. As I wrote in my In These Times profile of the Pera campaign, these primary challenges are valuable regardless of the race's outcome:

Despite the concerns about Republican takeovers, primary-race challenges could improve party discipline. Incumbents would benefit from local races that force them to regularly reconnect with constituents. In the long run, ousting incumbents who are out-of-touch could save cash and time for activists who now spend limited resources lobbying conservative Democrats. More energy could be devoted to open races. Most importantly, internal challenges can give voice to voters and activists who are shunted aside when no mechanism for accountability exists.

Full disclosure: the SEIU Illinois Council sponsors this website.

(h/t Open Left)