Kendrick Meek Coming to Broward Tomorrow to Collect a New Endorsement

U.S. Senate candidate Congressman Kendrick Meek of Miami will be coming to Pompano Beach tomorrow morning to snag another labor endorsement.The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, AFL-CIO, with offices on South Andrews Boulevard, will officially back Meek's bid for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat to be vacated in 2010, when Sen. Mel Martinez steps down.

Meek has already scored big union endorsements from SEIU and the United Teachers of Dade.

You can bet that while he's here, Meek will make the rounds in pursuit of bigger Broward Democratic prizes. Broward Teachers Union has yet to give its endorsement in the race. Meek would love to get the same supervoters who cast ballots for Fort Lauderdale Mayor-elect Jack Seiler, among other local pols. And just maybe he'll swing by the office of Broward Democratic Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar.

Meek's primary Democratic rival, State Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach, is playing catch-up on the endorsements front, partly because of his responsibilities in the Florida legislative session. Last weekend, the St. Petersburg Times very nearly bestowed front-runner status on Meek.