LEWISTON – Former State Sen. Sean Faircloth on Wednesday received the endorsement of Local 6, the Bath Iron Works machinists union, in his bid for the hotly contested 2nd District congressional seat.

Faircloth, 40, of Bangor is one of several candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for the seat of U.S. Rep. John Baldacci, another Bangor Democrat who is running for governor.

At a Wednesday news conference, Faircloth welcomed the early support from the labor union, which has more than 1,000 members in the 2nd District’s Androscoggin County.

“In the Legislature I stood by my beliefs that organized labor helps the economy,” Faircloth said.

In a letter of endorsement from the union, Local 6’s President Rock Grenier said the group voted to support Faircloth because of his strong pro-labor voting record, ability to win the general election and role in creating Bangor’s Maine Discovery Museum.