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Endorsement from union is Reno's first
By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 6, 2002
Janet Reno picks up her first labor endorsement today to help stem the tide of unions backing Bill McBride, her main rival for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
"If anyone's got a shot at beating Jeb Bush, it's someone with a national reputation who can raise money and who's bigger than life," said Victor Kamber, a spokesman for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. "The surprise to us, frankly, is that other unions are coming out for McBride, who is an unknown."
The Painters and Allied Trades union represents about 10,000 dues-paying members in Florida, and the former U.S. attorney general from Miami won their backing after meeting several weeks ago with their international president. The union never met with McBride, a political newcomer who used to run Florida's biggest law firm.
Reno also met recently in Washington with the AFL-CIO's national president, John Sweeney. But Florida AFL-CIO president Cindy Hall said the meeting will have no bearing on whom members of the Florida AFL-CIO will back. McBride appears on track to win that major endorsement next month, she said.
"We're going to receive a great deal of support from labor," Reno campaign spokeswoman Nicole Harburger said. The Painters and Allied Trades will formally endorse Reno today in Bal Harbour.
Robin Rorapaugh, McBride's campaign manager, said McBride's strategy is to win labor support from local unions, rather than starting at the top.
"We look forward to working with the painters after the primary," she said, using the same line Reno has used lately after losing endorsements from Florida's teachers union and the Building Trades Council.
The painters are part of the Building Trades Council, and last weekend pushed the council to make no recommendation, but didn't have the votes to stop an endorsement for McBride.
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