Many union voters are disenchanted with both President Donald Trump and Democrats, fed up with the surging costs of food and gas, the war with Iran, and slick career politicians. The Washington Post interviewed 27 rank-and-file union workers at the national convention of the AFL-CIO in Minneapolis, and nearly all said they disapproved of Trump — including the 10 current or recent Republicans and independents.

Union Voters’ Concerns

Most union voters also criticized the Democratic Party, saying its leaders should fight harder on economic issues for the working class. This fall, union voters could be crucial in at least 10 competitive House races in the country, according to Democratic political strategists.

Heather McKenzie, an electrical workers union member in Nebraska, said she doesn’t think union voters are getting the support they need from either party. McKenzie was a Republican who voted for Trump in 2016 but switched parties in 2020, mourning a party that she said had “gone so far to the right.”

Democratic Party’s Efforts

The Democratic Party is trying to pick up disenchanted union and working-class voters by running working-class and union-friendly candidates. The party has rallied behind candidates like oyster farmer Graham Platner, who has championed a pro-labor platform in his campaign to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine.

Steve Rosenthal, a Democratic strategist and former political director of the AFL-CIO, said that picking candidates with union experience and a focus on affordability will help Democrats appeal to working-class voters. The AFL-CIO, which represents unions with 15 million members, is preparing to talk to millions of members about the midterms through phone banking, door-knocking, texting, and conversations at work.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.