Steamfitters Local 638 Manager Bobby Bartels detailed Friday on Fox News why New York labor members are “fed up” with President Joe Biden’s policies, stating he believes former President Donald Trump has a chance in the state.
Bartels appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” to discuss Trump’s visit with the labor union Thursday morning. Fox host Laura Ingraham questioned Bartels on the union’s “change” as opposed to their traditional support of Democrats, pointing out the group had thrown their backing behind Biden during the 2020 election.
“Yes, my members are basically fed up with the illegal immigration, the crime, the outrageous prices of food and gas- oil, electric. It’s hurting everybody. When we get into a union we’re basically all Democrats. The Democrats are just pushing us away. We are a patriotic union, we have three congressional medal of honor winners in our union, we have many military veterans, we have people whose families are [in the] police and fire department. And they are tired of it. We are being treated as second-class citizens,” Bartels stated.
Ingraham pressed Bartels on the recent GDP numbers that were released regarding inflation as Biden officials claimed that things “are going to calm down,” to which Bartels said they needed to rethink their stance as many union members are “concerned.” (RELATED: Union Apprentice Details Shift In Politics After Trump Visit, Says Biden Team Never Responded To Meeting Group)
“Part of what I also think is happening is that outsourcing of jobs is now speeding up in the United States under Biden’s policies. We’re seeing a bigger trade deficit for the United States which means more stuff is coming then going out. That obviously hits your union workers across the country,” Ingraham pointed out.
“Not only the union workers, Laura, it hits everybody in this country. Everyone is feeling the pain. It is not getting better. Our tax dollars are going to illegal immigration. Feeding them, housing them, clothing them, God knows what else. We cannot sustain what is going on. This country cannot sustain it,” Bartels stated.
Bartels later revealed that the union, according to a recent poll of his, appears to be throwing a majority of their support behind Trump, leading him to believe that the former president has a chance within the state.
“I discovered — now, I have 9000 members. We’ve only got a fraction of that that have reported back on my pole. But as of right now, it is 3-1 in favor of Trump against Biden. Trump is leading 3-1 in our poll,” Bartels stated.
“Do you think he [Trump] has a fighting chance in New York given what has happened?” Ingraham asked.
“I believe he does. My union members have been calling me since 7:30 this morning, thanking me. I have been getting phone calls for my sister locals, from business managers around the country – from other locals, electricians, plumbers. I’m getting calls from retired members of other union locals that are glad that we are at least taking a stand and we are standing for what the members want,” Bartels stated.
Within recent polling, Trump has dominated Biden on top issues for voters, as many have sided with the former president’s handling of both inflation and the cost of living. A CNBC poll of 1,000 registered voters found that 52% of voters stated Trump would handle inflation and the cost of living better, with only 30% siding with Biden.