Former Honolulu Council Chair Ikaika Anderson has received a key endorsement from the powerful carpenters union in his bid to become Hawaii’s next lieutenant governor, but one of his Democratic opponents — state House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke — has endorsements and “recommendations” from 11 labor unions and other organizations with just over a month until the Aug. 13 Democratic primary election.

Anderson and Luke are the most recognized elected officials in the four-person Democratic race for lieutenant governor.

Anderson, like candidates up and down the Democratic and Republican primary ballots, has been campaigning on the urgency to build more affordable homes across the state to help local families and dissuade young adult residents and kupuna from moving to less expensive communities out of Hawaii.

Also, he has been urging construction of more “kauhale” communities across the state to address homelessness, as he helped one become reality in his Waimanalo hometown as Council chair.

Hawaii’s largest construction union, the more than 6,000-member Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, endorsed Anderson on Saturday, saying it shares Anderson’s goal of building affordable homes for working families. In a statement, Ronald Taketa, executive director of the carpenters union, said, “Ikaika has dedicated his life to public serv­ice and has consistently advocated on behalf of Hawai‘i’s struggling middle class and that is why the Hawai‘i Regional Council of Carpenters (HRCC) is proud to endorse” him.

Anderson also has been endorsed by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and Masons Union No. 1.

In a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Anderson said, “My family and I are honored and humbled to receive support from the men and women of labor. Organized labor shares the same needs and goals of all of Hawaii’s people — food on the table and safe drinking water, a secure home to live in, quality schools for their keiki, careers that pay solid wages, and retirement/health benefits upon retirement to take care of them into their kupuna years. I will work with labor and the people of Hawaii together towards the mission of protecting Hawaii.”

Anderson also has the support of Be Change Now, which is running commercials on Anderson’s behalf that are separate from his campaign’s commercials.

As of Monday, though, Luke had one “recommendation” — from the Hawaii State Teachers Association — and 10 endorsements from other powerful labor unions and organizations: The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly; Hawaii Government Employees Association; Patsy T. Mink PAC; Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons Union, Local 630; Plumbers and Fitters UA, Local 675; Americans for Democratic Action; ILWU Local 142; IBEW Local 1186; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; and the General Contractors Association of Hawai‘i.

“I am grateful for the broad support I have received from groups that advocate for their memberships or for specific values,” Luke told the Star-Advertiser in a statement. “The support comes not just from public and private sector unions, but also from progressive policy organizations. It’s confirmation that my years in public service have impacted people across our state, from a variety of backgrounds and professions.”

Former mayoral candidate Keith Amemiya has been endorsed by the Ironworkers Union Local 625. and Amemiya said in a statement to the Star-Advertiser, “Voters decide elections in Hawaii, not endorsements, and voters are tired of corruption, career politicians spending decades in office taking care of special interests and taking thousands of dollars from people like Dennis Mitsunaga, while the housing crisis, homelessness, and cost of living keep getting worse, and our quality of life keeps going down in Hawaii.”

Mitsunaga, president and CEO of Mitsunaga &Associates, faces federal charges of conspiring with former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro to charge a former employee with four counts of felony theft in exchange for campaign contributions.

The other Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, Sherry Menor- McNamara — president and CEO of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce — has been endorsed by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii.

“As a first-time candidate who is campaigning on a message of giving Hawai‘i a fresh start, it isn’t surprising that many organizations that make up the political establishment have chosen to back the career politicians in this race,” Menor- McNamara told the Star-Advertiser in a statement. “Changing the status quo isn’t easy, but that is the mission we are on. We have built a solid statewide grass-roots organization from the ground up and will continue taking our message directly to the voters. The power to effect the change we all desire rests solely in the hands of the people of Hawai‘i.”