Union Support of Dem Presidential Candidates By The Numbers -Big Numbers $8 + mill and growing

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/8043

How much is a Presidential candidate worth to your union? Jesse Russell takes a look at some big numbers:

The Federal Elections Commission has released a report on independent expenditures spent on each of the candidates through February 28 – or the primary season through Wisconsin. How important is it for a union’s endorsed candidate to receive the Democratic nod for President? If dollar signs are a good measure, then nearly $8 million over two months. The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades spent a combined $3,675,548.10 to support Senator Hillary Clinton’s bid for the Presidency from the first of January until the end of 2008. Not to be outdone, the Service Employees International Union, Teamsters, Unite-Here, and the United Food of Commercial Workers have spent a combined $3,744,131.26 to support Senator Barack Obama. The lion’s share of the spending for Obama can be attributed to the SEIU who endorsed the candidate in mid-February and have more than $3 million dollars. On Clinton’s side it is AFSCME pulling the funding weight using more than $2 million to support their candidate and earmarking more than $234,000 for Obama opposition. The AFT isn’t too far behind pitching in nearly $1.5 million for Clinton support. How much is an election worth? With Ohio, Vermont, Texas, and Rhode Island going to the polls today, we may know by tomorrow morning.

Clinton:
AFSCME: $2,196,647.96
AFT: $1,455,383.59
IUPAT: $23,516.55

AFSCME Obama Opposition: $234,483.86

Dodd:
IAFF: $256,365.50

Obama:
SEIU 1199: $382,017.76
Teamsters: $12,787.50
SEIU-COPE: $3,063,811.00
UNITE-Here TIP: $96,360.00
UFCW: $189,155.00