Press Release   October 21, 2007

AFSCME Endorses Hillary Clinton for President

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 1.4-million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, today endorsed New York Senator Hillary Clinton for President of the United States.

“The next president is going to play a critical role in rebuilding America’s middle class and ensuring that everyone shares in our country’s prosperity,” said AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee. “President Hillary Clinton will make us stronger at home and respected abroad.”

AFSCME’s International Executive Board voted to endorse Senator Clinton following an extensive 10-month, member-driven endorsement process – including candidate appearances, interviews and membership polls. The union’s polls show that Senator Clinton enjoys deep support among its members.

“We’ve looked at these candidates closely, and we’ve drilled down deep into the union to see who was inspiring our members, who has what it takes to take back the White House and govern effectively when they get there,” McEntee said. “We looked for the candidate who will fight for working families and who has the greatest ability to win, the candidate who will motivate our members to make calls, knock on doors and talk to their co-workers like never before.”

The politically savvy public service union, known for waging grassroots campaigns, is preparing to launch a major effort in the critical early state of Iowa, where it represents more than 30,000 workers.

AFSCME plans to spend more than $60 million on the 2008 campaign, and will mobilize a 40,000-member army of volunteers to elect Senator Clinton.

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