Education union backs Gregoire

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Christine Gregoire has won the backing of the 27,000-member Public School Employees of Washington in her bid for governor.

The union represents noncertificated employees such as bus drivers and cooks. The endorsement, announced by the Gregoire campaign on Friday, is the first by an education group.

The political action arm of the larger Washington Education Association, which represents classroom teachers and other employees, tentatively plans to endorse a candidate in April, spokesman Rich Wood said.

"As our next governor, Christine Gregoire will be a champion for both students and school employees," said Public School Employees’ government relations director, Kim Peery, a former House majority leader.

"She understands the critical needs facing our public schools, like long-term, stable funding, competitive compensation and high academic standards. She has the vision, experience and leadership that will make a difference," he said.

Democrat Gregoire, a three-term attorney general, is making education one of her main campaign planks.

"Education is clearly the key to building a brighter future for the next generation of Washington leaders," she said Friday. "It’s how we demonstrate to employers that we are investing in tomorrow’s leaders and it’s how we provide hope for our families."

The campaign said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, herself a former state attorney general, headlined a fund-raising breakfast on Monday that drew 450 people.

Wood said no gubernatorial candidate is a clear front-runner for the Washington Education Association endorsement.

"We have a very long process to follow between now and April," he said.

Gregoire’s main competitors for the Democratic nomination are King County Executive Ron Sims and Phil Talmadge, a former state Supreme Court justice and state senator. Dino Rossi, the state Senate budget chairman, and Federico Cruz, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, are leading contenders for the GOP nomination.

Gregoire previously was endorsed by the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, and the state affiliate of the Fraternal Order of Police. EMILY’s List, a national group that promotes women candidates who support abortion rights, also has endorsed Gregoire.