The Hawaii State Teachers Association, which represents 13,700 public school employees statewide, has endorsed Gov. David Ige in the Democratic primary for the hotly contested governor’s race.

Ige, who served in the state Legislature for 29 years before becoming governor, is being challenged in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hana­busa and former state Sen. Clayton Hee. His wife, Dawn Amano-Ige, is a former educator who retired from her position as vice principal of Kanoelani Elementary School after he took office.

“It is a privilege of HSTA to recommend Gov. David Ige for four more years as governor because he has been a leader for human and civil rights as well as a strong advocate for Hawaii’s public schools, teachers and keiki,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee during a news conference Saturday at union headquarters.

HSTA’s endorsement of Ige was pivotal in his 2014 campaign to unseat incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie. This latest nod from the teachers’ union was important for his re-election bid, as Hana­busa has racked up a string of endorsements from labor groups including ILWU Local 142, the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, the Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council and SHOPO, the police officers’ union.

McKinley High School registrar Osa Tui, who attended the news conference, said he supports Ige because the governor “made a conscious effort to come out personally and see that things were made right. We had tough times dealing with former Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and her people. He righted the ship and gave us a (union) contract that members were ecstatic about.”

The four-year contract included a nearly 14 percent pay raise. The union also credits Ige with providing more state funding for education, cooling more than 1,000 classrooms across the state, expanding early college programs and working to streamline teacher evaluations and paperwork.

“We got him elected the first time and he helped us,” said Hilo teacher Dawn Raymond. “Now, we are giving back. I think we will be very instrumental in this election.”

Raymond added that Ige showed great leadership when visiting teachers and students displaced by the Kilauea Volcano eruption.

Ige, speaking at the news conference, said the HSTA endorsement was “fundamentally important” to his campaign because “teachers become advocates in each and every community.”

“I’m a graduate of the public schools. I’m a product of teachers. My entire life I have been shaped by teachers. I can’t tell you how excited and happy I am to receive their endorsement,” Ige said.

The Hanabusa for Governor campaign issued a statement that HSTA’s decision to back her opponent did not lessen her admiration and record of support for Hawaii’s public school teachers.

“As governor, she would continue her strong support of public education and educators, from elementary schools to trade schools and universities, empowering our teachers versus micromanaging,” the campaign said.

Hanabusa bested Ige by 20 percentage points in a March poll published by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.