AFL-CIO Richard Trumka says other prospective DNC chair candidates also reached out about their support. | Getty AFL-CIO mulls Ellison endorsement for DNC chair

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka circulated a straw poll Wednesday to the labor group's Executive Council asking whether the AFL-CIO should endorse Rep. Keith Ellison for chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

In an email obtained by POLITICO, Trumka explained to the Executive Council — which is in charge of endorsements — that the organization's Political Committee had already heard from several of the announced candidates in the race, and floated the idea of a unified endorsement of the Minnesota congressman.


"Given that many unions have leaders and rank-and-file members on the DNC and that some unions have already made public commitments to candidates, I felt it was timely for the Political Committee to discuss the possibility of a unified endorsement," Trumka wrote, noting that the AFL-CIO heard from Ellison, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison and New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley. "It was clear from the discussion that, to the extent endorsement decisions have been made, Congressman Keith Ellison is the leader. Furthermore, in a straw poll, a strong majority of the Political Committee indicated that the AFL-CIO should endorse Congressman Ellison at this time. For these reasons, only his name appears on the ballot."

The Executive Council's options in their straw poll, which ends Dec. 6, are to vote for Ellison, abstain, or "make no endorsement at this time." A link to the straw poll is included in the email.

In the email, Trumka also mentioned that other prospective DNC chair candidates, including Labor Secretary Tom Perez, had reached out to him and to members of the Executive Council to discuss the race. But former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who has announced his bid, was conspicuously missing from the list of candidates and isn't mentioned at all in the email.

Ellison has already been endorsed by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, the Communications Workers of America and the United Steelworkers. An AFL-CIO endorsement would be a powerful addition to the congressman's roster of support but the group's Executive Council tends to be politically cautious — even Trumka's nudge in Ellison's direction doesn't mean the group will endorse him or any other candidate.