State Senate candidate Bob Backus has been endorsed by SEIU Local 1984 State Employees Association.

Backus is running against state Sen. Ted Gatsas (R-Manchester) in state senate district 16. In 2006 the SEIU did not endorse either candidate.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of the State Employees.  For too long the working families of District 16 have gone unrepresented and taken a back seat to special interests and partisan politics," Backus said in a press release. " I will be a State Senator who will fight to provide affordable and accessible healthcare for all.  In addition, I would be a strong supporter for items like raising the minimum wage, providing unemployment benefits to part-time workers, and the evergreen clause."

According to the Backus campaign, "SEIU Local 1984 State Employees Association is the largest AFL-CIO affiliated labor union in New Hampshire, representing over 10,000 public and private sector workers in the state."