AFL-CIO backs Pike, others in contested House primaries

The statewide AFL-CIO has made its picks for Congress.

The umbrella labor organization endorsed five candidates in Democratic primaries when its Executive Council met Tuesday. Perhaps most notable was the AFL-CIO’s backing for 6th District hopeful Doug Pike, who is locked in the party’s most competitive House nominating contest against Manan Trivedi. Pike already enjoyed deeper labor support than Trivedi, and despite Trivedi’s recent surge of local party support, the AFL-CIO endorsement effectively puts the state’s organized labor community behind the former Inquirer editorial writer.

The endorsements from the state’s most powerful labor organization were expected to be formally announced later on Tuesday, but the results were described by someone familiar with the Executive Council’s vote.

The AFL-CIO also endorsed incumbent Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) over primary challenger Mel Marin, and it backed incumbent Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) over Lackawanna County Commissioner Corey O’Brien.

The group endorsed state Representative Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware) in the 7th Congressional District, where he is considered the overwhelming favorite against political consultant E. Teresa Touey and environmental lawyer Gail Conner.

And the AFL-CIO backed Democrat Mark Critz in the 12th Congressional District, endorsing him for both the special election and the primary election to be held the same day.