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Nevada’s Culinary Workers Union Withholds Endorsement Ahead of Saturday’s Caucus


In an announcement that caught some off guard, Nevada’s Culinary Workers Union announced late last week that it would not endorse any Democratic candidate for President, ahead of this Saturday’s statewide caucus.

As many readers are aware, the support of organized labor is often the backbone (and lifeblood) of Democratic campaigns for public office.  The endorsement by a union, especially a big player like the Culinary Workers Union, can help propel a campaign to victory or give a campaign a much needed boost.  In this case, former Vice President Joe Biden was thought to be in need of the union’s endorsement, following his underwhelming performance in both Iowa and New Hampshire.  Had the union endorsed his candidacy, Biden would have likely used the union’s organizational strength to help bring out voters to the caucus.  (Not to mention an endorsement could have helped calm nerves around his seemingly struggling campaign.)  On the other hand, had the union endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders, he could have used it to advocate for the party to coalesce around his campaign as the consensus candidate among a traditionally strong Democratic voting bloc.  Or even Senator Elizabeth Warren or Amy Klobuchar could have used the endorsement to bring their candidacies back into the national spotlight as legitimate contenders for the nomination.

However, none of those scenarios will play out in Nevada this primary cycle, given the union’s decision not to endorse a candidate.  I would not read into this too much as whoever ends up being the Democratic nominee will likely earn the union’s endorsement before November.  In the meantime, this news adds another wrinkle into what will likely turn into a months long fight among the candidates for the nomination.


For additional information:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-02-13/powerhouse-nevada-union-declines-to-endorse-democratic-candidate

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