Two additional bodies under the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) umbrella are getting behind former Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins\u2019 campaign for Miami Mayor.<\/p>\n
SEIU Local 1991<\/a>, which represents thousands of nurses, physicians and other health care professionals at the county\u2019s public Jackson Health System<\/a>, just endorsed Higgins.<\/p>\n So did the SEIU Florida State Council<\/a>.<\/p>\n Martha Baker, who serves as President of both entities, said in a statement that Higgins earned their support \u201cbecause she understands the challenges Miami\u2019s working families face every day \u2014 and she shows up to help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs County Commissioner, Eileen stood with our members to improve pay, strengthen workplace protections, and make sure people are treated with respect on the job,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are proud to endorse her for Mayor, and we look forward to working together to build a Miami where every worker and every family can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n The new endorsements join union nods from 1199SEIU<\/a>, SEIU 32BJ<\/a>, AFSCME Local 1907<\/a>, UNITE HERE Local 355<\/a>,\u00a0SAVE Action PAC<\/a> and\u00a0LiUNA Local 1652<\/a>. LGBTQ advocacy groups Equality Florida Action PAC<\/a> and EMILY\u2019s List<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0abortion rights organization Ruth\u2019s List Florida<\/a> are also supporting Higgins.<\/p>\n So are U.S. Rep.\u00a0Frederica Wilson, Miami-Dade Mayor\u00a0Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade Commissioners\u00a0Oliver Gilbert\u00a0and\u00a0Danielle Cohen Higgins, Miami Gardens state Sen. Shevrin Jones, Miami state Rep.\u00a0Ashley Gantt, South Miami Mayor\u00a0Javier Fern\u00e1ndez\u00a0and former Miami Beach Mayor\u00a0Dan Gelber.<\/p>\n Higgins is competing in a Dec. 9 runoff against former City Manager Emilio Gonz\u00e1lez for the right to succeed outgoing Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. The pair topped 11 other candidates<\/a> in Miami\u2019s Nov. 4 General Election, with Higgins taking 36% and Gonz\u00e1lez capturing 19.5% of the vote.<\/p>\n To win outright, a candidate had to receive more than half the vote.<\/p>\n