Edwards Picks Up State SEIU Endorsements
Despite getting the cold shoulder from the national SEIU, John Edwards has picked up the endorsements from ten state chapters, which represent about half the total membership.
The national leadership's decision not to endorse a candidate was seen as a bit of a slap to Edwards who has long been courting the support of the service workers union. National did free the states to make their own endorsements and so far they've been in Edward's camp.
The ten state chapters represent 930,000 members. Barack Obama picked up the endorsements of his home state's chapter, Illinois, and neighboring Indiana. Together they represent 170,000 members.
In announcing his chapter's support for Obama, Illinois SEIU president Tom Balanoff oddly cited Obama's early opposition to the war in Iraq as a deciding factor for their support. I am not sure how Obama's opposition to the war has anything to do with the mission of the SEIU, which is dedicated to "dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society." I'm not arguing their endorsement, just the stated rationale relating to war policy.
And so it appears we have a state-by-state courting going on. That's sure to ruffle the feathers of already over worked campaign managers.
