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Monday, October 8, 2007

SEIU To Endorse State-By-State In Presidential Race

By Scott Shepard | Monday, October 8, 2007, 05:04 PM

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) announced Monday that it will leave it up to its locals in each each state to make its own endorsements in the presidential campaign rather than endorse a candidate itself.

In a statement, SEIU President Any Stern explained: “The outcome of this election will decide whether we finally achieve comprehensive, affordable healthcare for everyone, whether we bring economic security and fairness to working people, whether we bring our sons and daughters home from a civil war in Iraq, and whether working people in America finally have the freedom to form unions without intimidation. Given the importance of this election, we are encouraging members and leaders to act on their passion for the candidates and get involved on a statewide basis.”

Stern said none of the local endorsements would be announced before Oct. 15.

SEIU’s board of directors declined to make an endorsement last month although a majority of the board supported Democrat John Edwards. Unidentified SEIU officials said the decision not to endorse was the result of questions about Edwards’ “viability.”

In 2004, SEIU endorsed Democrat Howard Dean, who was running first in the polls at the time of the endorsement but finished third in the Iowa caucus and never recovered.

Edwards, who has actively courted the SEIU, has consistently run third in the Democratic field, behind Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But in the polls in Iowa, he has led or ran a close second behind Clinton

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