Risk-Taking Union Leader Backs Dem's Long-Shot Presidential Bid

Forward, February, 2004 by Kessler, E.J.

Kessler, E.J. Forward 02-20-2004 When the president of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, Bruce Raynor, endorsed North Carolina Senator John Edwards for president at a February 7 rally in Milwaukee, it was only the latest maverick move by the union leader. Many unions were flocking to the camp of the Democratic front-runner, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, but Raynor and his union decided to back the long-shot bid by Edwards, who has proven himself to be Unite's loyal friend. The North Carolina senator has maintained close ties to Unite since his 1998 Senate bid, when Unite was the first union to endorse him and lent dozens of workers to his campaign.

During that campaign, Edwards visited every Unite worksite in the state, and...

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