Largest labor union in US endorses Hillary Clinton in nod to 'strong leader'
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Version 0 of 1. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign on Saturday picked up the endorsement of the National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union in the US. Related: Hillary Clinton praises LGBT activists for changing minds – 'including mine' The NEA has 3 million members, and its backing gives Clinton a boost in her competitive Democratic primary race against the independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who has caught and surpassed her in some opinion polls. The announcement caps a week in which Sanders announced he had raised nearly as much money as Clinton during the past three months. In a statement, NEA president Lily Eskelsen García said: “The National Education Association proudly supports Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. “Clinton is a strong leader who will do what is best for America’s students. For more than four decades, Clinton has fought to make sure all children have a fair opportunity to succeed regardless of their Zip code. “Clinton will continue to advocate on behalf of students, educators and working families because she understands the road to a stronger US economy starts in America’s public schools.” The former first lady, senator for New York and secretary of state has won eight labor endorsements representing about 7 million workers, including the nation’s two main teachers’ unions. The American Federation of Teachers endorsed Clinton during the summer. |