Sen. Bernie Sanders won the endorsement of an influential teachers’ union in Nevada on Tuesday morning, a key sign of support in the early voting state where unions have significant political power.

“We appreciated that Senator Sanders came to us, very much reached out to us and wanted to speak to us,” said Clark County Educational Association president Vikki Courtney told BuzzFeed News on Monday night. Sanders was the clear leader in a recent straw poll of union members, she said, which was a major factor in the decision.


The union represents 19,000 teachers and other educators in Las Vegas, and is the largest teachers’ union in Nevada. The Clark County School District is the fifth largest school district in the country.