Obama’s S.E.I.U. Boost in Pennsylvania

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/07/obamas-seiu-boost-in-pennsylvania/

April 7, 2008, 1:52 pm

By Leslie Wayne

Pennsylvania’s economy may get a welcome boost thanks to deep-pocketed supporters of Barack Obama. The Service Employees International Union, and an affiliated health-care local, are pumping a combined $976,000 into the Keystone State for salaries and literature that are part of an ambitious pro-Obama door-to-door canvassing campaign.

During the Iowa caucuses, Mr. Obama decried such outside support, calling it an “underhanded” effort that benefited his rivals, who were both benefiting from strong support from outside, mainly union, groups.

But Mr. Obama, flush with campaign cash, has remained silent about the help he has gotten from the politically active S.E.I.U. To date, the S.E.I.U. has spent $5.2 million on behalf of Mr. Obama in a number of states, while S.E.I.U.’s 1199 hospital affiliates have kicked in another $513,000 to support his primary bid.

By comparison, since Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her presidential bid, the American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees Union has spent $2.3 million on pro-Clinton efforts, while the American Federation of Teachers spent $1.7 million on her behalf, Federal Election Commission records show.

As measured by independent expenditures, Mrs. Clinton appears behind Mr. Obama in Pennsylvania. Federal election commission reports show Emily’s List has just spent $70,000 in a direct mail and phone bank campaign on her behalf, while the painters union just spent $16,000 printing up Hillary T-shirts.

Even Republican groups opposing the two Democratic candidates are jumping into the fray. The Republican Majority Campaign just spent $62,000 on the phone and mail campaign opposing both Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, while RightMarch.com just reported spending $16,000 to oppose the two candidates, F.E.C. filings show.