UFCW. (Photo: Facebook)

As this year's elections begin to heat up ahead of the September primaries, the United Food and Commercial Workers has continued to weigh in. Today, the union announced their endorsements in about two dozen City Council and borough presidency races across the city.

“New York City needs strong, aggressive, and dedicated leaders in the City Council that will champion progressive legislation and fight hard for our members,” Bruce Both, the union's president, said in a statement. “They have earned our support and loyalty and we will work hard to see that they are re-elected.”

The latest endorsements span a bipartisan slate of legislators, tilting towards incumbents and establishment favorites. The one non-incumbent Council endorsement was for the race to replace term-limited Councilman Lew Fidler--UFCW Local 1500 backed Assemblyman Alan Maisel there.

The list can be viewed below, new endorsements are marked with an asterisk.

Public Advocate: Undecided

Brooklyn District Attorney: Undecided

MANHATTAN

Borough President Jessica Lappin

District 1 Undecided
District 2 Rosie Mendez*
District 3 Corey Johnson
District 4 Daniel Garodnick*
District 5 Micah Kellner
District 6 Marc Landis
District 7 Mark Levine
District 8 Melissa Mark-Viverito*
District 9 Inez Dickens*
District 10 Ydanis Rodriguez*

BRONX

Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.*

District 11 Andrew Cohen
District 12 Andy King
District 13 James Vacca*
District 14 Fernando Cabrera*
District 15 Ritchie Torres
District 16 Vanessa Gibson
District 17 Undecided
District 18 Annabel Palma*

QUEENS

Borough President Melinda Katz

District 19 Austin Shafran
District 20 Undecided
District 21 Julissa Ferreras*
District 22 Costa Constaninides
District 23 Mark Weprin*
District 24 Rory Lancman
District 25 Daniel Dromm*
District 26 Jimmy Van Bramer*
District 27 Daneek Miller
District 28 Undecided
District 29 Karen Koslowitz*
District 30 Elizabeth Crowley*
District 31 Donovan Richards
District 32 Undecided

BROOKLYN

Borough President Eric Adams

District 33 Stephen Levin
District 34 Antonio Reynoso
District 35 Undecided
District 36 Kirsten John Foy
District 37 Rafael Espinal
District 38 Undecided
District 39 Brad Lander*
District 40 Undecided
District 41 Darlene Mealy *
District 42 Inez Barron
District 43 Vincent Gentile*
District 44 David G. Greenfield*
District 45 Jumaane D. Williams*
District 46 Alan Maisel*
District 47 Todd Dobrin
District 48 Undecided

STATEN ISLAND

Borough President James Oddo*

District 49 Deborah Rose
District 50 Undecided
District 51 Vincent Ignizio*

"We are excited and proud to endorse Hakeem Jeffries to be the next Congressman from Brooklyn's 10^th Congressional District," said Bruce W. Both, President, UFCW 1500. "As a New York State Assemblyman, Hakeem stood side by side with our members and fought on our behalf as we worked to pass the New York State Wage Theft Prevention Act in 2010, a bill that provides workers in New York State protections against irresponsible employers who fail to pay their workers. As a member of Congress, our union is confident that Hakeem will bring leadership, innovative thinking and a progressive mind to a legislative body crying out for civility and common sense."

The move is a more than a little surprising considering that it is firstly extremely early--Mr. Jeffries only jumped into the race this weekend--and for that fact that unions invariably try to play it safe and endorse the incumbent.

The seat is currently held by a 15-term incumbent Ed Towns, and the move by the UFCW could be a signal that he is thinking more seriously about retiring.

"It is an honor to have the endorsement of UFCW," said Mr. Jeffries. "This strong union stands up for all workers in their fight for fair contracts and wages, and the right to a decent quality of life. I am proud to stand with UFCW as a state legislator and I look forward to working with them in Washington to keep improving life for all city residents."

UFCW says it has 23,000 members in and around the city.