by Ray Hackett
NORWICH-- New Haven Mayor John DeStefano has picked up a major union endorsement in his bid to win the Democratic nomination for governor.
The New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199/Service Employees International Union, the state's largest health care workers union, and Local 35BJ backed DeStefano Wednesday at 11 rallies across the state. The two unions represent more than 25,000 workers.
"He's shown he's a friend," said Diane LaPointe of Norwich, a union member who works at Harrington Court Genesis Eldercare in Colchester. "It's very important to have candidates who support your issues."
DeStefano is vying with Stamford Mayor Dannell Malloy for the Democratic nomination. The winner will challenge Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell in November.
About 20 union workers gathered outside the Southeastern Mental Health Authority building at Uncas-on-the-Thames in Norwich Wednesday for the local rally.
"This kind of support early on is critical," said state Rep. Jack Malone, D-Norwich, representing DeStefano at the rally. "He cares about the things that we care about. And with this kind of early support, this is the year Democrats can take back the governor's office."
Democrats have not controlled the governor's office since 1991. Malloy's and Rell's campaigns had no comment on the union endorsements of DeStefano. The rallies come the day after all three campaigns released their year-end campaign finance reports.
Website Vooweb.com provides the biggest collection of professional Web 2.0 Templates. Web 2.0 Templates - its a website templates which made by world-class designers. Buy our Web 2.0 Templates | A family cooking recipes with hundreds of healthy, whole-food cooking recipes for the home cook. Healthy Food cooking Recipes For Your Entire Family
DeStefano leads in the money race with more than $2.84 million, but finished third in fund-raising for the last quarter. Malloy has raised $2.2 million in his bid, more than double what DeStefano brought in. And Rell, who has been fund-raising for just three months, has reported more than $873,000.DeStefano also has two dozen union endorsements to Malloy's four.
LaPointe said although she hasn't always voted for the candidates endorsed by her union, she would support DeStefano regardless.
"Union endorsements are more important to candidates," said Ken Dautrich, chairman of the University of Connecticut's Department of Public Policy. "They send a signal to the political elite and the media, but they certainly don't make the same difference as they did prior to Ronald Reagan in 1980."
Dautrich, who runs the university's polling center, said despite strong union support of Walter Mondale in the 1980 presidential campaign, Reagan won the hearts -- and votes -- of union members.
"I think Reagan changed the way union memberships look at candidates," he said.
Robert Martin of Norwich, an 1199 union member since 1979 and 40-year state employee with the Department of Mental Retardation, participated in the union interviews with the two Democratic candidates. He also found DeStefano more to his liking.
"I'd be supporting him if the union didn't," he said. "I think he's done a good job in New Haven and he's got the experience."