The campaign announced the endorsement of the  NH SEIU in the middle of tonight’s debate. It’s big news … Edwards also has the much larger MA chapter in his pocket. Under the SEIU’s campaigning rules, out of state union members who have endorsed a candidate can campaign for that candidate in any other state whose chapter has also endorsed that same candidate. Long story short: those thousands of MA union members can drive 45 min north to turn out the vote in what is arguably the most important primary state in the country. Read the full release after the jump.

(Manchester, NH) – New Hampshire State Director Beth Leonard released the following statement tonight after the 9000-member NH State Employees’ Association voted to endorse John Edwards, bringing Edwards’ SEIU state council endorsement total to 12 states and over 1 million SEIU members:

“We are thrilled to have the support of the the hard-working families of the New Hampshire State Employees’ Association (SEIU local 1984).  John Edwards’ committment to guaranteeing universal health care, the work he has done standing shoulder-to-shoulder with organized labor and his strength as the candidate who can win the general election next year and bring a pro-union, pro-working family agenda to the White House have earned him this critical support in New Hampshire.  John Edwards is proud to have the strong endorsement of the SEA and looks forward to working with the men and women of SEIU in New Hampshire to build One America where every single American has health care coverage and where everyone who works hard has the chance to get ahead.”