Edwards Scores Iowa Labor Nod

1 million service workers in 9 other states support third-place hopeful
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 15, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
Edwards Scores Iowa Labor Nod
In a photo provided by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), janitors and their supporters participate in the Justice for Janitors march, in the Century City section of Los Angeles, Friday, June 15, 2007. Janitors are asking for better wages and access to affordable health care. (AP Photo/Service...   (Associated Press)

Iowa service workers backed John Edwards today, and their huge 650,000-member California branch followed suit along with 8 other chapters. SEIU's support gives Edwards about 1 million possible foot soldiers and attendees in his make-it-or-break-it drive for an upset victory at the Iowa caucus. Endorsements from other sizable SEIU chapters will follow, Dem officials say. 

Edwards has courted labor more than other hopefuls, but the national SEIU stung him last week by refusing to endorse. SEIU workers can compensate by going to Iowa to help, and councils that picked other candidates—Illinois and Indiana tapped Obama today—must stay out of the cornfields altogether because Iowa’s branch backed Edwards, the New York Times reports.  (More John Edwards stories.)

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