NY Union Leader: My Members Back Trump 3:1 over Biden; Leftist Policies Driving Voters to Right

A New York union leader says that Democrat policies are pushing voters toward Republicans and that the vast majority of his 9,000 members back former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden.

Bob Bartels, manager of the Steamfitters Local 638, caught up with both Newsmax and Fox News on Thursday morning in Manhattan after Trump stopped by a construction site on his way to his business records trial:

NEW: New York union leader Bobby Bartels says most of his Union workers are Democrats but they are supporting Trump in 2024.

Bartels said he conducted a poll of his 9,000 members and Trump is leading Biden 3 to 1.

“In the past, we are basically Democrats, all of us. And after… pic.twitter.com/eOSx2jhjhK

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 25, 2024

Bartels told Newsmax correspondent Addison Smith that it was “very exciting” that Trump stopped at the site and emphasized that most of his members are former Democrats, but far-left policies are driving blue-collar workers to the right.

“In the past, we are basically Democrats, all of us, and after what’s happened the last four years in this country, Democrats are basically pushing everybody to the other side,” he said. “We’re a very patriotic group and we love our country and we want the best for America.”

In a separate interview with Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends on Thursday morning, the union representative told host Brian Kilmeade he polled his members on whom they support in the presidential election, and Trump smoked Biden.

“I put out a poll in my union; President Trump is leading Joe Biden three to one on my presidential poll out of my 9,000 members right now,” he said.

Bartels, whom Kilmeade noted plans to vote for Trump, further emphasized that union workers “are very tired of the situation with groceries, inflation, gas prices, illegal immigration, crime; we’re living it every day in New York City,” he said.

Asked if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s business records case against Trump changes his opinion about the 45th president, Bartels said, “Nothing changes my opinion because… I want what’s right for America.”

“I want what’s right for the citizens, and my members want that, also. They are very agitated. They’re living week to week. Some of them are not affording their bills, and I think things need to change,” he added.

Kilmeade pointed out in the interview that Bartels worked for Trump in some capacity in 1986.