Connecticut’s AFL-CIO voted behind closed doors to endorse Gov. Ned Lamont for reelection to a third term Friday, a day after interviewing the governor and Josh Elliott, his challenger for the Democratic nomination.

The two-thirds vote necessary for an endorsement did not come quickly, reflecting resentment over prolonged state contract talks, Lamont’s veto of a bill that would have provided jobless benefits for strikers and his opposition to raising taxes on the wealthy.

The AFL-CIO took no position in the four-way Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District, where former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin is the party-endorsed candidate over the 14-term incumbent, John B. Larson, and two others.

The result was a boost for Bronin and a disappointment to Larson, who has tried to make his significant labor support a defining difference in the race. He fell just a few percentage points short of the margin necessary for an endorsement.

The interviews of the gubernatorial candidates by delegates to the labor federation’s biennial political convention at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale on Thursday and the debate preceding the vote Friday came in closed sessions, a departure for the AFL-CIO in Connecticut.

Ultimately, the delegates sided with a Democratic incumbent who has presided over generally good times for state employees and organized labor at the state Capitol and seems well-positioned to win a rare third term, based on public and private polling.

“The Connecticut AFL-CIO represents the heart of our state’s working and middle class, and I am incredibly honored to earn their endorsement,” Lamont said in a statement Friday. “For years, I have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with union members at rallies, on picket lines and at the bargaining table, because I believe Connecticut’s future is built on good-paying union jobs with good benefits.”

Connecticut has one of the nation’s highest minimum wages, a nearly universal mandate for paid sick time, paid family and medical leave coverage, expanded collective bargaining rights for public employees and new worker-friendly standards for Amazon warehouse workers. All passed with Lamont’s support.

But union members and others said Elliott, a five-term state representative from Hamden running to the left of the governor, had found a warm reception on Thursday, while delegates lined up to quiz Lamont on his record — and what they could expect in a third term.

Lamont said the tone was positive. When asked about complaints that contract talks, which resulted in multi-year raises of about 4 1/2%, were taking too long, Lamont said he should be judged on the outcome, not the process. Most state employees got general wage increases of 2 1/2%, plus 2% in step increases or bonuses.

“It didn’t take as long last time, when they got zero,” Lamont said. “This time, it took a little longer, and you got two-and-a-half, plus two, And it’s retroactive, so nobody lost. We didn’t do that out of disrespect. Brokman is working hard.”

Matt Brokman, who played a role in the contract talks as the governor’s chief of staff, accompanied Lamont to the AFL-CIO interview. He is on leave from the governor’s office and serving as chair of his campaign.

Denying Lamont an endorsement would have been a dramatic act, estranging the federation from a Democratic governor still could win without their support. On endorsements, the AFL-CIO generally has been pragmatic, intent on maintaining constructive relationships at the state Capitol.

“We take nothing for granted,” Brokman said. 

“The governor was up there talking about eight years of accomplishments and working with those union members on things that put money in their pockets and food on their tables,” he said. “And he’s talking about what we’re gonna do for the next four years to do the same and continue that partnership.”

On Thursday, Elliott took heart in that many unions had yet to endorse.

“I don’t know if I would say that that’s pragmatism in terms of trying to be safe,” Elliott said. “I think that is a recognition of the anger that labor — some of those, many of those in labor — feel that this governor does just enough to stay in office but is no champion for what working families need.”

A week ago, Elliott won the endorsement of SEIU Local 1973, the union representing faculty and staff at the Connecticut Congress of Community Colleges. It was his first union endorsement. The union is generally known as the 4Cs.

Michael Hinton, a 4Cs vice president and delegate to the AFL-CIO convention, said his union had endorsed Lamont in his two general elections.

“But we’ve never had an alternative. The governor’s been better than the Republicans he’s faced, definitely, when it comes to education and labor,” Hinton said. “But we finally have somebody who’s who sees the issues the way we see them.”

On Friday, Elliott said he would continue to seek the support of rank-and-file union members. He has recorded his first ads and is awaiting his public financing grant

“On to the next. This has nothing to do with what we’re doing,” Elliott said. “We’re still setting those ads out, still knocking on doors, still talking to people. We’ll win over the membership. On to the next.”

Larson’s campaign focused on his union strength. He is backed by the Working Families Party and has announced nearly three dozen endorsements.

“Congressman Larson demonstrated massive union support at the AFL-CIO convention today, winning a commanding 64% of the vote,” his campiagn said in a statement.

Bronin treated the non-endorsement was a plus, given he is challenging a long-term incumbent.

“As a member of Congress, I look forward to working hand in hand with the AFL-CIO to stop Trump’s attacks on labor and build an economy that actually works for working families and the middle class,” Bronin said. “And I’m running this race because I think the Democratic Party needs to bring a whole new energy to this fight if we’re going to win and turn the tide.”