Jax Daily

Meek wins early union backing

Thu, Feb 19, 2009 by News Service of Florida

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who became the first major candidate to get in the 2010 U.S. Senate race last month, picked up the first big endorsement of the race Monday when the Service Employees International Union backed his bid.

Meek, who is one of two prominent Democrats so far in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, appeared in Tallahassee Monday with SEIU Florida President Monica Russo to collect the endorsement. The union, which represents a number of service industry and nursing home workers, chose to endorse Meek over state Sen. Dan Gelber, who has also formally announced his candidacy.

Meek said Monday that the SEIU embodied what his campaign would be about.

“I’m truly honored and humbled by the endorsement,” Meek said during a news conference called by his campaign and the union. “SEIU represents hardworking men and women throughout the state of Florida. Those that know what it means to punch in and punch out in the morning. They catch the early bus in the morning.”

Meek added that he planned to learn from the union’s members as the campaign moves on.

“It’s already been educational for me meeting with many of the members in recent days about my Senate candidacy and learning from them some of the issues that Floridians are going through,” Meek said.

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