SACRAMENTO, CA – In early endorsements that demonstrate working families are committed to change in Sacramento, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California has endorsed SEIU Local 721 members Reggie Jones Sawyer and Nick Karno in the 47th and 53rd district State Assembly races.   

“Working families are struggling with an economic crisis, a health care crisis, and the effects of the State budget crisis. We need candidates we know we can trust to protect working families:   those who have worked side by side with us in the trenches,” said Bill A. Lloyd, President of SEIU California.  “SEIU’s 700,000 California members are proud to endorse Reggie Jones Sawyer for Assembly in the 47th district and Nick Karno in the 53rd district.”

Recent surveys show California voters are hungry for a new direction in Sacramento -- including a recent LA Times poll that found 79 percent of voters think the State is on the wrong track. Meeting the voters’ demands for a state budget that protects education, health care, and vital services for seniors and people with disabilities requires electing leaders that understand the hardships families have suffered in recent years.  

“When it comes to addressing the challenges facing California, we need to know that our elected leaders understand what it’s like for families who are trying to make ends meet, provide health care for their children and build retirement security,” said  Rosie Martinez a Public Health Nurse. “Reggie Jones Sawyer and Nick Karno have spent their lives fighting for good schools, stronger communities, and economic security for our families.   We’re proud to stand with Reggie and Nick because we know they will stand up for us in Sacramento.”

A long-time union member who now serves as the City of Los Angeles’ Deputy Mayor and Director of Asset Management, Reggie Jones Sawyer knows what it’s like to balance a family budget as well as manage billions of dollars in assets for the state’s largest city.  With a life-long passion for civil rights and economic fairness for families, Reggie will fight to revitalize our economy, rebuild our infrastructure and create good-paying union jobs so that all of California’s communities will be stronger.

As a local prosecutor and former public school teacher, Nick Karno is the only candidate for Assembly in the 53rd District who has personal experience with education and public safety – two of the most important issues facing the state.  And as a long-time union member, he is the only candidate who has personal experience dealing with the day-to-day issues facing working families.  In the District Attorney’s office, Nick has fought to reduce gang crimes, domestic violence, narcotics, and vandalism.  He understands how to make our neighborhoods safer, and how to make sure dangerous criminals are kept in prison.  As a former public school teacher, Nick has seen firsthand how a good teacher can change a child’s life, and he understands the importance of giving teachers and schools the support they need to improve our kids’ education.   


SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California. We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.