Over the weekend, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean rallied in Des Moines with about 150 members of the AFSCME union. AFSCME has endorsed Dean in the race for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination. Union leader, Jan Corderman, says AFSCME has more than 30-thousand members in Iowa. Corderman says the union knows how to organize, mobilize and get the candidates it supports elected. AFSCME is passing out “A Dozen for Dean” kits which encourage each AFSCME member to line up 12 supporters for Dean. AFSCME has proven a new force in Democratic party politics, helping Governor Tom Vilsack in his two gubernatorial campaigns. Dick Gephardt has won endorsements from 21 international unions representing about 95-thousand Iowans.
