According to recent reports, President Biden’s closest advisors are worried about losing ground to Donald Trump, particularly with working-class Americans. This concern from Democratic strategists comes as Trump is set to give a speech to the auto worker’s strike instead of participating in the second GOP primary debate.
The United Auto Workers strike officially began targeting the major auto manufacturers General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. Thousands of union members have brought production plants across several states to a grinding halt. The workers are demanding higher pay and increased benefits amid the persistent macroeconomic backdrop of high inflation.
Democrats are worried this could provide substantial political capital to the former president, where Trump is poised to represent the interests of working-class, blue-collar Americans. Strategists have noted that Trump moved first to side with the auto workers, which benefits the former president. “Trump scooped us. Now if we announce we’re going, it looks like we’re just going because of Trump,” one Democratic strategist noted. “We waited too long. That’s the challenge.”
Rep. Ro Hanna of California told Politico that the Democratic party needs to do a better job connecting with working Americans enduring the disastrous Biden economy. The representative noted that Trump is a formidable candidate who should not be underestimated.
“We should not underestimate Donald Trump. He’s a survivor and this is going to be a very hard-fought campaign.,” Khana said. “We need a message to working-class Americans. Right now, they’re still hurting in terms of gas prices, food prices, housing costs, utilities costs, and they don’t feel like their wages are going up fast enough, and they feel like the very wealthy are getting too much of the rewards. That’s what I heard on the picket lines.”
Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa alleged Trump’s record with unions could have cost him the state of Michigan in the 2020 election. Trump’s upcoming appearance with the auto workers suggests he is shifting his strategy to better resonate with this industry.
“Donald Trump’s anti-worker, anti-union record is one of the key reasons Michigan rejected Trump in 2020 and sent Joe Biden to the White House,” Moussa said. “His failed presidency is defined by auto companies shuttering their doors and shipping American jobs overseas while lining the pockets of the wealthy and big corporations.”
Trump posted a message on his social media platform, Truth Social, sympathizing with the United Autoworkers. He claimed the workers are being hurt by the electric vehicle “scam” while slamming Biden’s economy. Trump offered a hopeful economic outlook to the striking workers.
“The United Autoworkers are being sold down the “drain” with this all Electric Car SCAM. They’ll be made in China, under Crooked Joe’s CHINA FIRST POLICY. AUTOWORKERS, VOTE FOR TRUMP – I’LL MAKE YOU VICTORIOUS & RICH. IF YOUR “LEADERS” WON’T ENDORSE ME, VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE, NOW. WITH THE DEMOCRATS & CROOKED JOE CALLING THE SHOTS, YOU’LL BE JOBLESS & PENNILESS WITHIN 4 YEARS. REMEMBER, BIDEN IS A CROOK WHO HAS BEEN PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY CHINA, & OTHERS. He is a Manchurian Candidate!!!”
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