Even before formally announcing he is seeking re-election, one of the state's largest and most politically active unions has endorsed Gov. Mark Dayton for another term.
"Four years ago, AFSCME Council 5 was first to endorse Mark Dayton because we knew he could make Minnesota work again," said Eliot Seide, executive director for AFSCME Minnesota Council 5. "With Gov. Dayton's strong leadership, Minnesota has regained every job lost during the recession. We put fairness back in our tax system and ended a decade of deficits and state shutdowns."
Seide also credited Dayton with more investment in all levels of education and being a leader in the effort to legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota.
"Thanks to Gov. Dayton, our blue state is a beacon of hope and progress," he said.
Dayton accepted the endorsement last weekend at AFSCME Council 5's annual convention in Duluth.
AFSCME Council 5 and its international union spent more than $1 million on the 2010 governor's race, mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers.
The union represents 43,000 workers, including 18,000 Minnesota state employees.
