CONCORD, N.H.—New Hampshire labor unions, several of which played a key role in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ solid victory here in the 2016 presidential primary, are largely staying neutral in this year’s race. The state American Postal Workers Union is backing the Vermont senator in Feb. 11 vote, but the state International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and SEA-SEIU Local 1984, which campaigned hard for Sanders in the 2016 primary, have not endorsed anyone. “There’s a lot of candidates talking about what he talked about last time,” Local 1984 President Rich Gulla told Politico. “I could talk to a dozen different members and get a dozen different responses on who they like.” The state American Federation of Teachers, which supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, is also staying neutral. The lack of endorsements follows a national trend: While the International Association of Fire Fighters is backing former Vice President Joseph Biden and National Nurses United is behind Sanders, most unions are holding off. “My understanding, it’s a good thing that the unions are having a more inclusive and transparent process to make sure that their endorsement is reflective of their membership,” said Sanders’ state campaign director, Shannon Jackson. Read more
