A Tale of Two AFSCMEs

The Star Tribune's Pat Lopez has the latest twist in Minnesota DFL union politics:

"One of the state's most powerful labor groups has split its U.S. Senate endorsement between Democrats Mike Ciresi and Al Franken. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 65, which represents 13,000 outstate Minnesota workers, announced its backing of Ciresi, an attorney, on Tuesday. Earlier, Council 5, with 43,000 members in the Twin Cities and Duluth, went for Franken, a comedian. 'I think it's the first time that's happened,' said Steve Giorgi, assistant director for AFSCME Council 65. The decision was a little awkward, he said, because Franken kicked off his campaign at the Council 65 offices in Nisswa."

Sheer member numbers would seem to dictate that Franken got the better end of the AFSCME deal. But not so fast. Union types we talked to yesterday said that AFSCME Council 65 -- make that "Greater Minnesota Council 65" -- might have a larger impact on the endorsing delegate selection process (the only process that matters) because its members don't have to compete with as many other DFL interest groups at precinct caucuses. There's also a sense that the Council 65 Ciresi endorsement came from its members, and wasn't dictated by leadership as much as the endorsement of Franken by Council 5.

Franken has acquired a number of union endorsements, although none of these matter as much as AFSCME. Picking up Council 65 was big for Ciresi.

Still to weigh in are the two other heavy hitters in DFL endorsing circles: Education Minnesota and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).