Union Membership Numbers for Gephardt, Dean, Kerry [View All]

Today's AP story about the national UAW witholding its endorsement during the Democratic primaries contained some interesting data on the sizes of unions that have endorsed the various Democratic candidates.

Now, there's nothing to assume that union members will necessarily vote the way their leadership recommends, much less volunteer, but it is interesting to see what they've done.

Dick Gephardt, according to the AP, has the support of the leaders of 20 unions, including the Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the Laborers International Union of North America. Combined membership is about 5 million.

Howard Dean may have endorsements from the SEIU and AFSCME, the two largest AFL-CIO unions. These unions together have 3.1 million members. Unions which have announced endorsements for Dean include the California Teachers Association (335,000 members), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (140,000 members), and the Vermont Teachers Association (10,000 members). That puts Dean's possible total at approximately 3.6 million.

John Kerry has the endorsement of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Utility Workers Union of America for a total of 0.3 million members.

Dennis Kucinich has received endorsements from a couple union locals representing under 0.1 million members.

Did I miss anyone here? Any inaccuracies? (Thanks.)

Analysis: Richard Gephardt certainly has the lead in national union endorsements. The AFL-CIO won't have a two thirds majority to endorse a candidate in the primaries, so the 20 unions endorsing Gephardt have agreed to work together. This team does help provide volunteers and support. Howard Dean has the recent momentum, and the unions endorsing him are well known for their top notch organizing skills. These union endorsements also help broaden Dean's base demographically. John Kerry has been frustrated in his attempts to woo big union endorsements. ALPA, the Air Line Pilots Association, was previously leaning to Kerry, but it remains to be seen whether they endorse. The Fire Fighters is a good consolation prize, though.

(On edit: Added Utility Workers Union of America to Kerry's total.)