Clinton gets backing of 1.4 million-plus AFSCME union

Hillary Rodham Clinton won the endorsement of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees on Wednesday, an important boost for the Democratic presidential front-runner.

The union is the largest for workers in the public service sector with 1.4 million members nationwide. AFSCME represents service and health care workers in the public and private sectors including nurses, bus drivers, child care providers, custodians and librarians.

Clinton will officially accept the endorsement later Wednesday.

"I am honored to receive the support of AFSCME," Clinton said in a statement. "In my administration, America's working families will again have a partner in the White House."

Gerald McEntee, president of the union, said Clinton "will help rebuild America's middle class and make sure everyone shares in our country's prosperity."

The union is expected to provide help in early-voting states, such as Iowa, where it has about 30,000 members, and New Hampshire, where it has about 3,000.

The union endorsed former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004. Dean lost steam after a disappointing performance in Iowa, and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry went on to win the nomination.

AFSCME budgeted about $48 million for get-out-the-vote efforts in the 2004 election.

McEntee has long made overhaul of the nation's health care system a priority for the union. President Clinton named McEntee to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Quality and Consumer Protection in the Health Care Industry in 1997.

Other unions that have endorsed Clinton include the United Transportation Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, both in August.