(Host) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Racine has picked up another key endorsement.
The Vermont State Employees Association says it’s backing Racine because he has shown support for working Vermonters throughout his career.
Last week, Racine was endorsed by the state teachers union and the Vermont Labor Council.
Bob Hooper is the president of the VSEA:
(Hooper) "He produces results. We have good relationships with the other candidates also, but Doug’s record is consistently demonstrating a real affinity for grasping the issues of working Vermonters. We believe he’s the best candidate because he just basically seems to care about people and his commitment to the average Vermonter is undeniable."
(Host) The VSEA has roughly 5,000 members and Hooper expects many of them will be active in this year’s gubernatorial and legislative races:
(Hooper) "I think that we’re going to make as great an effort as we’ve ever made to put boots on the ground for these campaigns. We’re going to assign members and staffers to individual campaigns, individual candidates, to coordinate the efforts of our organization and any other organization either in the labor community, the environmental community, who wants to lend a hand."
(Host) Two years ago, the VSEA disappointed many Democrats when it endorsed the gubernatorial campaign of Independent candidate Anthony Pollina over Democrat Gaye Symington.