The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) says that if they choose to endorse a candidate it will be Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. The announcement is a huge blow to the campaign of Dick Gephardt, who has positioned himself as labor's candidate and already has 20 major union endorsements. Backing from SEIU is crucial because it means 1.6 million people working on a candidate's behalf, and the possibly of other union endorsements.
See "Blow to Gephardt: Major union may endorse 'Dean or no one'", USA Today, October 29, 2003