Advertisement State Sen. Kevin Cavanaugh endorses Elizabeth Warren for president Manchester senator, alderman says Massachusetts Democrat “stands up for working families” Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Three weeks before the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has her first endorsement by a New Hampshire state senator.>> Download the FREE WMUR appWMUR has learned that Manchester’s Kevin Cavanaugh, who represents District 16 in the state Senate and is in his third term representing Manchester’s Ward 1 as an alderman, is backing Warren, calling her a champion for working people and a leader, who, as president, would work to raise their wages and provide them with a secure retirement. “Elizabeth Warren has taken on Wall Street and the big banks,” Cavanaugh said in an interview. “She understands what people are going through, living paycheck to paycheck.”Cavanaugh becomes the fifth Democratic state senator to publicly back a current presidential candidate, while three others had endorsed New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who dropped out of the presidential race last week.The endorsements of nine of the 14 state senators are essentially up for grabs, although it is not clear how many of them will endorse a candidate by the Feb. 11 primary. Cavanaugh, an organized labor advocate, is employed by IBEW Local 2320 as its assistant business agent. He said he is making a personal endorsement, not on behalf of the local.IBEW Local 2320 has represented Warren’s campaign workers since last spring. The union ratified a contract with the campaign in the fall.“For too long in this country, labor hasn't had a seat at the table where decisions are made,” Cavanaugh said. “Elizabeth is building a new table. She will stand up for workers to raise wages and protect their hard-earned pensions and retirement savings.“From trade to health care to climate change, Elizabeth's plans take into account the folks who are hurting, and she's working to build a country that works for everyone.” Cavanaugh said he will attend campaign canvass launches and other get-out-the-vote events and will join Warren at stops in the closing weeks of the campaign. “I think the team she’s built is incredible – by far the best team in New Hampshire,” Cavanaugh said. “And for me, it’s just hit the ground, knock on doors and keep on talking to people.”Cavanaugh said he met with every Democratic presidential candidate before endorsing Warren.“I’m grateful to have Kevin in our fight for big, structural change,” Warren said in a statement released by her campaign. “Kevin has fought for Granite State workers his entire career, and he knows how we can help working families in New Hampshire build a stable life and have a real chance to get ahead.”Cavanaugh was elected to the state Senate in a special election in July 2017 to fill the vacancy left by the death of Sen. Scott McGilvray. In that election, Cavanaugh defeated longtime former Republican state Sen. David Boutin by 11 percentage points in a district with more Republican than Democratic registered voters.Cavanaugh then won a full two-year term in November 2018 by again defeating Boutin -- in that election by about 5 percentage points.Cavanaugh’s Senate district includes Manchester Wards 1, 2 and 12 and the towns of Hooksett, Bow, Candia and Dunbarton. He chairs the Senate Commerce Committee and is vice chair of the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee.In Manchester, Cavanaugh was elected to the Board of Aldermen in 2015 and was reelected in 2017 and 2018. He also serves on several board committees, chairing the Community Improvement Committee, according to the city website.