UPDATE — ‘SNOOKERED BY SOLOMON’: Commenter ‘Maltbiem’ correctly points out that I have been taken in by — gasp! — a less-than-completely-straightforward press release. In fact, the SEIU made its endorsement in the race on Feb. 7. In fact, it jointly endorsed Solomon, Huffman and Susan Adams.

Recalibrating bullshit detector. Regretting the error. Leaving post below for archival purposes.

DAMN, THIS IS A FIGHT, PEOPLE!

Can we agree that it’s a race for second place at this point? You just have to assume that Assm. Jared Huffman is going get past the post in the June primary, given his financial reserves and the fact that the Democratic machine is behind him. The big question is whether, under California’s new open election rules, another Democrat can sneak past the race’s sole Republican, Dan Roberts, to make it a blue-on-blue race between June and November. 

Yesterday, aspirant Democrat Stacey Lawson surprised everyone by garnering the endorsement of State Sen. Noreen Evans. Today it’s Norman Solomon’s turn. His campaign just announced Solomon has locked up the most important union endorsement in the region by getting the nod from the Service Employees International Union.

Solomon press release follows: 

SEIU Endorsement Boosts Momentum of Solomon Campaign for Congress

Norman Solomon, the independent progressive Democrat running for Congress, says SEIU’s endorsement of him is “a huge boost” for his grassroots campaign in the new North Coast district stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border.

SEIU represents more than 700,000 in-home care providers, healthcare workers, janitors, social workers, classroom aides, state and county workers, security officers, college professors and others in California. In its endorsement of Solomon, the union declared: “Our members look forward to working with you on legislation that promotes quality jobs and revenues, quality healthcare and quality public services.”

Solomon responded by underscoring his commitment to representing the public interest. “We’re fed up with upside-down priorities in Congress,” he said. “It’s unacceptable for Main Street to suffer while many big corporations are posting record profits. We need to create millions of good green jobs, provide access to quality healthcare for all Americans, fund public education and ensure retirement security. We can pay for large-scale public investment with a transaction tax on Wall Street, an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, overall tax fairness and major reductions in military spending.”

Solomon is the grassroots leader in the hotly contested battle for the open seat in the new Second Congressional District; his campaign has more than 800 volunteers and has raised more than $350,000 from upwards of 3,400 different individuals while refusing to accept any corporate PAC money.