NASHUA – The New Hampshire branch of the American Federation of Teachers is throwing its support behind Molly Kelly in her race for governor.

“Molly is the strongest candidate and has a proven track record on issues of critical importance to the 4,000 members of AFT-NH,” union President Doug Ley said.

This is the second major education union to back Kelly as she runs a primary campaign against former Portsmouth mayor Steve Marchand. In June, the New Hampshire arm of the National Education Association endorsed Kelly. Education is a cornerstone for Kelly’s campaign.

“Education put me on the path toward a better life when I was a single mom raising three young children,” Kelly said.

Kelly believes the AFT-NH endorsement backs her career in politics fighting for public

education, and her opposition to Gov. Chris Sununu’s voucher program. Sununu supports parental vouchers to allow families to send children to private schools, paid for with state funding. Though that plan failed to pass in the Legislature last year, Sununu has vowed to try again.

“Chris Sununu wants to take tax dollars for public schools and give them to private and religious schools, weakening public education and raising property taxes. That’s wrong,” she said.

Kelly said she worked her way through Keene State College, managing the family dorms, waiting tables at a pizza shop and delivering newspapers in Peterborough while a single mother of three. She also worked her way through Franklin Pierce Law Center.

The union is the single largest affiliate of the New Hampshire AFL-CIO and represents nearly 4,000 working people across the state of New Hampshire. Members include teachers, para-educators, support staff, municipal employees and law enforcement personnel.

Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245 or dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF.