NEA New Hampshire Endorses Clinton
Mike Antonucci in Intercepts divulges:
Normally it wouldn’t be much of a news item to note that NEA New Hampshire endorsed Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president of the United States.
But back in June, Vermont NEA already endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders and specifically mentioned plans to campaign for him in New Hampshire. “There are 350 Vermont NEA members who live in New Hampshire … our organizers are going to start to identify members, and connect them to the (Sanders) campaign, phone banking, leafleting,” and essentially, “whatever the Sanders campaign needs,” said Vermont NEA president Martha Allen.
Voters might not find it too odd to see some teachers campaigning for Clinton and some for Sanders, and I assume that the average voter would not know that they all belong to the same organization, but where it might get dicey are events where both candidates appear – like the debates. Media coverage that includes teacher activists also could be confused and inaccurate.
I’m sure the officers of both unions, and NEA national, will work out a mode of coexistence for the New Hampshire primary, but it is the interaction of those 350 Vermont NEA members with the battalions of NEA New Hampshire volunteers that I’ll be watching. Let’s hope Lebanon doesn’t turn into Lebanon.