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SEIU Local 99 has endorsed Antonio Sanchez for school board in District 6, which covers the East San Fernando Valley, according to a longtime politico.

The endorsement isn’t a huge surprise since Sanchez, a former employee of the LA County Federation of Labor, was always expected to be a union-friendly candidate. In addition to Sanchez, the three other candidates who have qualified for the March ballot in District 6 are Maria Cano, Monica Ratliff, and Ernie Cardenas, brother of the newly elected Congressman Tony Cardenas.

Meanwhile, UTLA is expected endorse all four District 6 candidates tonight at the House of Representatives meeting. The union’s split-endorsement strategy is likely a response two the most recent school board elections, in which the union was forced to withdraw support from two candidates after damaging information came to light about them (see LA Times: L.A. teachers union withdraws support for two school board candidates).

*Update: SEIU Local 99 spokeswoman Blanca Gallegos called to tell us that the union hasn’t formally endorsed anyone yet, and that last night’s vote was simply “another step in the process” in which rank-and-file members vote on recommendations. The union leadership will make the final decision on Friday. Gallegos declined to say who the union membership voted to endorse.

Previous posts: UTLA Board Keeps Options Open, Signatures Due Tomorrow, Meet Maria Cano, Candidates To Watch