1.4 million-member teachers’ union endorses Clinton

Fresh off a victory in the third-quarter fundraising battle, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) received another boost to her presidential campaign Wednesday in the form of an endorsement from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

{mosads}The group, which has 1.4 million members, could prove a critical ally in Clinton’s aim to establish her education credentials.

“Our members have told us that they want a leader they can trust to strengthen public education, increase access to healthcare, promote common-sense economic priorities and secure America’s place in the world,” AFT President Edward J. McElroy said. “Hillary Clinton is that leader.”

Clinton said she was honored to receive the endorsement and added it would be “invaluable to the success of [her] campaign.”

The union lauded the field of Democratic candidates and also pointed out that Republican candidates declined their invitations to appear before the AFT’s executive council.

“The candidates we met with have an impressive depth of experience and commitment to strengthening America,” McElroy said. “With so many strong candidates focused on the needs of America’s working families, it was really an embarrassment of riches. In the end, our members and leaders determined that Hillary Clinton is the strongest leader to advance these causes.”

The union announced it would “immediately … put in motion a grassroots campaign to engage its members throughout the country to help nominate Hillary Clinton.”