Change coming to Alliance for a Better Minnesota

The executive director of The Alliance for a Better Minnesota is leaving her position to join Education Minnesota.

Carrie Lucking is going to be the Policy Research and Outreach Director for the teacher’s union. She’s starting her new job on Sept. 1.

“I wasn’t looking to leave but when this came up I had to pursue it,” Lucking said. “It’s the job I would have written for myself when I left teaching.”

Prior to her role at ABM, Lucking was a teacher at Hopkins High School and also served as a spokesperson for Democrats in the Minnesota House and for Tarryl Clark’s failed run for Congress.

Lucking has been executive director of ABM since 2010.  The group, which is a coalition of labor unions, DFL-aligned groups and wealthy donors, aims to elect Democrats to state and federal offices by running TV ads and sending out campaign mailings on their behalf. They are one of the most influential special interest groups in Minnesota.

The timing of Lucking’s departure comes as the 2014 election cycle starts to ramp up. ABM has been working to reelect DFL Sen. Al Franken and Gov. Mark Dayton and helping Democrats keep control of the Minnesota House.

Lucking says the group will announce an interim executive director shortly. Sam McCollough, who currently serves as spokesman for DFL U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, is taking a leave of absence to work at The Alliance for a Better Minnesota.

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