Minnesota Lawyer
The Service Employees International Union announced on Thursday that it is backing Betsy Hodges in the Minneapolis mayoral contest. The two-term city council member is seeking to replace R.T. Rybak, who is not running for a fourth term.
SEIU is among the most politically active labor unions in the state. In 2012, its political fund dispensed nearly $800,000 to political candidates and causes.
Hodges, former Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Andrew, city council members Gary Schiff and Don Samuels and former city council president Jackie Cherryhomes are all seeking the DFL endorsement. Attorney Cam Winton is running as an independent.
SEIU just won a major victory at the state Capitol, with legislators voting to allow personal care assistants who are hired directly by the people they take care of to unionize.
