The county Federation of Labor hears from the candidates for mayor today and then votes on an endorsement, Rick Orlov says in the Daily News. Last time, the umbrella group went big for Antonio Villaraigosa. The county Fed's boss, Miguel Contreras, is a close confidante. But this time, Jim Hahn has locked up the endorsements of many of the Fed's member unions (and has put Contreras on the airport commission). Apparently, Villaraigosa will be satisfied if the group just comes back with a vote of "no endorsement." He did, however, pick up union backing yesterday from the Engineers and Architects Association at City Hall, which had endorsed Hahn four years ago.
* And the Fed endorses...: Hahn.
** Friday stories in the Times, Daily News and Breeze all say it's a major victory for Hahn and a setback for Villaraigosa. Bernard Parks' reaction is that Hahn has been in labor's back pocket since he was elected. Bob Hertzberg didn't bother to pitch the unions, saying "these guys don't get what my campaign is about."