ALBANY, N.Y. Dec. 2, 2019 — New York State United Teachers today issued an early endorsement of AP biology teacher John Mannion in the race for the 50th state Senate District seat.
NYSUT’s Board of Directors has voted to endorse Mannion after previously endorsing his 2018 run for the 50th district seat.
“John’s intimate knowledge of public education and the issues facing our students and staff would be a huge boon to the Senate,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “NYSUT supports candidates who share our values and strong belief in the power of organized labor, and in John, we know we have a true friend and advocate who will put Central New York’s students and working families first.”
Mannion, president of the West Genesee Teachers Association, is a graduate of the union’s Member Organizing Institute and has participated in NYSUT’s Pipeline Project, which identifies and trains candidates to run for public office.
NYSUT will hold its endorsement conference for state offices next summer.
NYSUT-endorsed candidates receive grassroots support from NYSUT members, including phone banking, door knocking and literature distribution. The union also makes financial contributions from voluntary donations through the union’s VOTE-COPE non-partisan political action committee.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.