Education Minnesota has endorsed DFLer Margaret Anderson Kelliher for governor.

"Margaret Anderson Kelliher will be a great governor for Minnesota," Education Minnesota president Tom Dooher said in a statement. "We plan to help her in any way we can to improve the quality of education for every child in this state."

The endorsement came after a year-long process in which the union interviewed candidates and studied their voting records.

"Margaret and Education Minnesota share the same commitment to investing in education," Dooher said. "We share the same determination to create an education funding system that is equitable, sustainable, predictable and sufficient. We share the same vision that all children, no matter what their ZIP code, should get a world-class education."

Education Minnesota represents 70,000 education professionals, including public school teachers, support staff, faculty members at Minnesota's community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston.