How UAW’s endorsement of Harris could help her in Michigan

As Vice President Kamala Harris embarks on her presidential campaign, she has been endorsed by one key group that could tip her to victory in Michigan: the United Auto Workers labor union.

Harris is making a campaign stop on Wednesday in Detroit, where she is expected to meet with UAW leaders and members. UAW President Shawn Fain said the country is “at a crossroads” in his endorsement of Harris.

“We can put a billionaire back in office who stands against everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed,” Fain said. “This campaign is bringing together people from all walks of life, building a movement that can defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box. For our 1 million active and retired members, the choice is clear: We will elect Kamala Harris to be our next president this November.”

“Vice President Harris is honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, and knows it comes with the responsibility to fight for unions and working families as she’s done her whole career,” Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said after the endorsement.

Michigan is seen as a swing state. In 2016, former President Donald Trump narrowly flipped the state by a little more than 10,000 votes, but President Joe Biden safely won the state in 2020 by more than 150,000 votes.

As some Democrats believe enthusiasm surrounding Harris’s candidacy mimics that of former President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, the UAW endorsement could be the boost Harris needs in the state. During the 2008 financial crisis, Detroit-based autoworkers were especially hit hard but were bailed out by the federal government.

Obama’s role in reviving the auto industry in Michigan proved pivotal during his reelection campaign, as he easily won the state again in 2012.

In presidential elections dating back to at least 2008, UAW member support has consistently been above 60% for the Democratic candidate and never more than 35% for the Republican ticket, according to Reuters. During the 2020 election, 62% of Michigan households with a union member voted for Biden.

The UAW was also pleased with Harris’s vice presidential pick, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN). 

​​“Tim Walz doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk,” the UAW said in a post after Walz was announced as Harris’s running mate. “From delivering for working-class Americans to standing with the UAW on our picket line last year, we know which side he’s on.”