WASHINGTON -- Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) kicked off his campaign for U.S. Senate Thursday at a South Boston union hall flanked by members from 26 unions.
Choosing the Local 7 hall on Old Colony Avenue, down the street from the rough project where he grew up, was no accident. Lynch, a former union president, is banking on labor's support to derail the well-choreographed plans of longtime Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and national Democrats, who tried to clear the field with endorsements from top Massachusetts Democrats -- including John Kerry, Barney Frank and Victoria Kennedy -- and a war chest of $3.1 million.
So far, Lynch looks like he's getting it.
"I can tell you with great certainty that our membership strongly identifies with Stevie Lynch as a former ironworker and a true hero to the middle class," Edward Kelly, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, told The Huffington Post. Kelly cautioned, though, that the group had not taken an "official position." The Boston Firefighters Local 718 asked all of its off-duty members to attend Lynch's kickoff announcement.
"He got elected on 9/11," said Rich Rogers, executive secretary-treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council. "It's hard to forget. it's a longstanding relationship.
"Lynch has a real head start on Congressman Markey, based on his background," Rogers said. He predicted that the AFL-CIO would either endorse Lynch or hold off in the Democratic primary, because Lynch already had the support of about half of its members, but needs a two-thirds majority to lock up the endorsement.
Lynch's union support may well prove pivotal in a possible third matchup against Scott Brown. Brown won his 2010 special election by winning union voters by a small margin to Martha Coakley, but lost in 2012 after unions pounded the pavement to get out the vote and went about 61 percent in favor of Elizabeth Warren. Brown is thus far mute on whether he'll run, but the AP reported that GOP officials said he was "leaning strongly" on getting his symbolic truck out of park and onto the campaign trail.
Union members made up 14.4 percent of Massachusetts households in 2012, but their get-out-the vote efforts lead them to punch above their own weight. Harris Gruman, the executive director of the Massachusetts State Council of the SEIU, told The Huffington Post that his group's door-knocking increased turnout by 13 percent from 2008 to 2012.
The primary only officially began Thursday. "We're eager to get involved in the general election," said Gruman. "We're going to be having an endorsement process that may not yield an endorsement or it may."
What makes the support unexpected is that Lynch clashed with unions over President Barack Obama's health care law, even after Obama met with him in the Oval Office. Labor leaders barred Lynch from speaking at the Greater Boston Labor Council breakfast in Labor Day 2009. Two dozen local labor leaders signed a letter in March 2010 to Lynch pleading with him to change his position.
But almost three years later, the differences seemed have mostly been smoothed over.
"There was a rift between Stephen and us, but you move on," said Rogers, who signed the letter.
"As much as universal health care is something we believe in, there were certain provisions we ask our members to stand against," said Kelly, referring to the tax on high-end 'Cadillac' health insurance plans that takes effect in 2018 that many unions opposed.
Markey's campaign responded to a request for comment from The Huffington Post by forwarding its statement from earlier Thursday, welcoming Lynch into the race.
The day was all Lynch's, as he traveled from Springfield to Worcester, and finally back to his native Southie.
"I remember my earliest goal growing up -– all I ever wanted to be was to be an ironworker," he said at Local 7. "To follow my dad. To join this union."
But there is, of course, a campaign before April 30. "There's going to be all kinds of politicking and strategizing," said Rogers. "The next month is going to be interesting. How that comes out, that's the $64,000 question."
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.