The union representing postal workers is announcing its endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders for president on Thursday, giving the underdog candidate a much-needed boost in his effort to topple Hillary Clinton, who remains far ahead in the race for union support.
Mr. Sanders’s views and record typically line up more closely with unions’ priorities, and the American Postal Workers Union said his years of work on their causes won members over.
“Politics as usual has not worked. It’s time for a political revolution,” union president Mark Dimondstein said in a statement, echoing Mr. Sanders’s battle cry.
His statement appeared to dismiss concerns from some that Mr. Sanders has been a political independent for decades, not a Democrat. The union was unmoved by Mrs. Clinton’s recent opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership, an Asian free trade agreement that unions have fought and that Mr. Sanders has long opposed.
“We should judge candidates not by their political party, not by what they say, not by what we think they stand for, but by what they do,” Mr. Dimondstein said.
He also noted Mr. Sanders’s long-time efforts to fight privatization of the U.S. Postal Service, and to keep post offices and mail facilities open amid budget cuts.