Two days after her Republican opponent was cross-endorsed by the Independent Party, the Connecticut Working Families Party on Thursday endorsed Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, for re-election.
“I’m committed to standing with the Working Families Party as a strong advocate for an economy that works for everyone,” Esty said in a statement.
Esty is running against Republican businessman Mark Greenberg, who was endorsed by the Independent Party along with the GOP’s statewide ticket. The cross-endorsements mean that both candidates will appear twice on the ballot.
“I am excited and honored to receive the overwhelming support of the Connecticut Independent Party,” Greenberg said.
The Working Families Party is a coalition of labor unions, community organizations, and a variety of public interest groups. The liberal-leaning party’s main concerns are jobs, healthcare, raising the minimum wage, affordable housing and better public schools.
It endorses like-minded candidates, but sometimes backs its own candidates in elections.
In 2012, the Working Families Party endorsed House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan over Esty and another Democrat in a three-way primary for the open seat. Donovan gave up the ballot line when he lost the primary to Esty, and the WFP switched its support to Esty.