From the Politics Desk, Politics' evening newsletter, gives you the latest campaign, White House, and Capitol Hill information and commentary. Today, national political correspondent Ben Kamisar analyzes the latest Deciders Focus Group on Michigan union voters. Plus, No Labels ends bipartisan presidential attempts.
This year, Joe Biden and Donald Trump are actively courting Michigan union voters, a vital swing state. Many of these voters prioritize politics above unions. The newest Deciders Focus Group with state union-affiliated voters with Engagious, Syracuse University, and Sago revealed that.
After winning union-affiliated voters by double digits in 2020, Biden has received endorsements from prominent union leaders, including the United Auto Workers. Polling shows him with a tiny edge. Our focus group participants split virtually evenly between Biden and Trump.
None of the 15 focus groupists called Trump's ideas pro-union. The former president's supporters, who said he was pro-worker, not pro-union, didn't care. “I believe he supports resuming work regardless of union status. He wants companies to generate money, then workers to make money.” Livonia's 66-year-old retired UAW member Larry P.
The Biden backers praised the president's student loan reduction and union support. But many said they supported Biden because they disliked Trump.“He's a better alternative than the one running against him because he's not trying to cause violence in the country or turn people against each other like Trump is.” Detroit-based 66-year-old UAW retiree Paul B.
One Republican and one Democrat in the focus group stated they wouldn't vote for Trump or Biden, and one described the extreme apathy and disgust many people feel this November.
“No Labels has always said we would only offer our ballot line to a ticket if we could identify credible candidates to win the White House,” CEO and co-founder Nancy Jacobson remarked. We should stand down because no such candidates emerged.”
Alex Seitz-Wald and Hillyard say Democrats are openly attacking independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His poll numbers have concerned the party, especially since he chose Silicon Valley philanthropist Nicole Shanahan as his running mate. She could bankroll the cash-strapped campaign, and her introduction showed Kennedy's leftward shift.
That's a big change from 2016, when Democrats mostly ignored third-party candidates. However, they want to avoid a recurrence of that election, when Green Party nominee Jill Stein stole Hillary Clinton votes in swing areas. “Everyone thinks this is going to be decided on the head of a pin, so people are freaked out like never before,” said a senior Democrat who requested anonymity.
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