A lifelong Democrat union leader switched sides and pledged his support to Donald Trump, condemning the Democratic Party with a fiery statement that criticized blue politicians for letting crime and illegal immigration run rampant in America, and saying that while union workers have historically voted Democrat, the tide has shifted towards Trump.
For context, in an interview with Newsmax on April 25, 2024, New York union leader Bobby Bartels said he was voting for Trump after years of supporting Democrats, telling a reporter that the Democratic Party had “pushed” union workers “to the other side,” adding that the members of his union, Steamfitters Local 638, were fed up with immigration and crime and were turning from blue top red in droves.
In the interview, Bartels explained that union workers were leaving the Democratic Party after being “basically Democrats, all of us” for life. Continuing, the union leader explained, “After what’s happened the last four years in this country, the Democrats are basically pushing everybody to the other side.” He added, “We’re a very patriotic group, and we love our country, and we want the best for America.”
Moving on, Bartels explained that union workers’ primary grievances against the Democratic Party were illegal immigration and rising crime rates, saying, “We are tired of immigration. We are tired of our tax dollars going to immigration. We are tired of the crime.” He added, “We need to put a handle on things in this country and bring it back to how it should be.”
Furthermore, Bartels spoke out in detail about his decision to vote for Trump during a speech at the Republican National Convention on July 16, 2024. During his speech, Bartels said that he and many other union members had “come to expect empty promises from Democratic politicians,” adding that President Trump “stepped up” after “a decade of mismanagement by Democratic politicians.”
Continuing, Bartels detailed how what motivated him to support Trump was his decision to restore the Wollman Ice Rink in Central Park in 1986, saying of Trump, “He wasn’t mayor. He wasn’t running for anything. But he was a guy who cared about people, and he knew how to get a job done.” Bartels added, “He put his own money and reputation on the line and committed to getting it built. He did it using skilled local union labor, like the men of Local 638.”
Next, Bartels said that while he himself was working on the restoration of Wollman Ice Rink, Trump visited the site. Bartels recounted how he yelled out at Trump, “Are you here to buy us coffee?” adding that Trump “walked right over,” explaining, “He wasn’t president at the time, of course, grinning, handed me some cash, and told us it was too hot for coffee. He said to go buy sandwiches and drinks for everyone.”
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Concluding his RNC speech, Bartels said that rallying support for Trump was critical, contending, “Now more than ever, we need a president who knows how to get things done.” He continued, “That’s why this union Democrat, along with many of my local union members, will be voting for Trump this November.” Bartels concluded, “So we can take back the country—and rebuild the middle class that my union has helped build over so many years.”
Watch the clip:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video