Holober Lands Major Endorsement

In the race for endorsements, candidates for the 19th Assembly District Democratic Primary are racking up support at a furious pace. Earlier this month, San Mateo County Supervisor Jerry Hill announced endorsements from the California League of Conservation Voters and the current Assemblyman for the 19th District, Gene Mullin.

Millbrae Mayor Gina Papan has announced the support of numerous members of the State Legislature, outpacing her opponents among potential future colleagues.

Not to be outdone, San Mateo County Community College District Trustee Richard Holober has claimed the endorsement of California’s largest union in that of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) State Council, the umbrella for the many SEIU locals.

The powerful union represents health care workers, librarians, custodians, social workers, homecare workers and other public employees and claim approximately 6,000 members in the area of the 19th Assembly District.

The endorsement places Holober firmly in the lead in the chase for organized labor support that will translate into both funding and feet on the ground.

Hill, who only recently changed his party registration Republican to Democrat, has gained some ground on the environmental front but the California League of Conservation Voters is very much a second cousin to the arguably more significant Sierra Club. If Hill fails to obtain the exclusive endorsement of the Sierra Club that would badly undermine his attempt to position himself as the environmental candidate.

Papan, in order to keep her campaign in the forefront needs to add to her list of endorsements in the coming weeks.

Among all of the candidates, Holober now looks to be in a position of strength that, like Barack Obama, if it continues could derail even what was a presumptive candidate.