Brandon Johnson again gave the nod to the union

Another head of an influential task force announced Monday that he is endorsing Brandon Johnson for mayor, as expected.

The Illinois Health Care Professionals International Union issued an endorsement in front of its South Side headquarters, joining SEIU Local 73 in its announcement last week that a Cook County commissioner should be the next mayor of Chicago. Before that, Chicago’s powerful teachers union voted to endorse Johnson, a former teacher, in September, shortly before he entered the race.

Greg Kelly, president of SEIU Healthcare of Illinois, introduced Johnson as “a former organizer who fought side by side with us.”

“This is Chicago, where our opportunities are the same no matter what your zip code is, whether you live on the North Side, the South Side or the West Side. This is the Chicago that Brandon is fighting for, that our members are fighting for,” Kelly said.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois represents 90,000 hospital, nursing home, home care and child care workers in the Midwest, while SEIU 73 has more than 31,000 members in schools, government, social services and elsewhere in Illinois and Indiana. There is also SEIU Local 1, which represents maintenance and janitorial workers.

[ Who’s in, who’s out and who’s thinking about running for Chicago mayor  ]

Johnson’s growing labor support will prove useful as a contender for the progressive vote as well as big donations, but Mayor Laurie Lightfoot still has a big fundraising lead. U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chewy” Garcia, too announced his participation in the race last week, further complicating how the race to unseat Lightfoot will play out.

Others challenging Lightfoot in the Feb. 28 election: City Council members Sophia King, Raymond Lopez and Roderick Sawyer; businessman Willie Wilson; former CPS CEO Paul Wallace; state representative Cam Buckner; and community activist Ja’Mal Green.

Lightfoot touted labor endorsements from the Chicago Steel Works District Board; Administrative District Council 1 Masons and Allied Craftsmen; Local 11 Union of Insurers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers; American Postal Workers Union Local 1; and a Local 130 plumber.