Scoring a major win with labor, former Deval Patrick advisor Jesse Mermell announced Wednesday that she had locked down the support of the SEIU State Council and the Coalition for Social Justice in her campaign for Congress in the crowded race to succeed U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III. Nine Democrats and two Republicans are running in the 4th Congressional District. Mermell, who left her job as president of the progressive Alliance for Business Leadership to run for Congress, is also a former Brookline selectwoman and senior leader at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. “SEIU has worked hand in hand with Jesse over the years to fight for the protections and benefits that the hardworking people of Massachusetts deserve. We know that she will be a true workers’ champion in Congress,” said FayeRuth Fisher, president of the SEIU Massachusetts State Council. The endorsement spans SEIU’s five local chapters collectively representing more than 106,000 workers in health care, public service, human service, educators, and property services. The Coalition for Social Justice also counts labor unions among its 150 member organizations. “Together, we will stand up to Donald Trump’s anti-worker agenda, fight to strengthen labor protections, and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that centers workers, racial justice, and equity,” Mermell said in a statement.
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