Hillary Clinton won the support of the largest labor union in the country on Saturday, receiving an official endorsement from the National Education Association.
“Clinton is a strong leader who will do what is best for America’s students. For more than four decades, Clinton has fought to make sure all children have a fair opportunity to succeed regardless of their ZIP code,” NEA president Lily Eskelen Garcia said in a statement following the endorsement. “Clinton will continue to advocate on behalf of students, educators and working families because she understands the road to a stronger U.S. economy starts in America’s public schools.”
The NEA has over 3 million members working in the public education industry — from teachers to administrators to learning specialists.
Education and helping children have been parts of the main crux of the democratic front-runner’s campaign. Thus far, Clinton has released plans to mandate universal pre-kindergarden nationwide, as well as lower the cost of higher education to make community college accessible to all.
“The teachers and educators of the NEA shape our future,” Clinton said in response to the endorsement. “Our educators are the frontline fighters building a stronger and more prosperous America — and I know it is not an easy job. NEA members work hard every day to provide the education and support our children need to grow and prosper.”
Socialist democratic candidate Bernie Sanders has spent much of his campaign appealing to and lobbying for labor unions, but has not won the support of nearly as many unions as Clinton.
