WASHINGTON — Joe Biden has attempted to brand himself as the most pro-labor president in U.S. history. Workers who donate to the leading presidential candidates beg to differ.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump is winning financial support from grassroots campaign contributors who work for highly unionized workplaces, including American Airlines Group Inc. and United Parcel Service Inc., according to Federal Election Commission data from the second half of 2023 analyzed by Bloomberg News.
He also has far more donors than Biden from people who report working for largely blue-collar workplaces, such as Walmart Inc. and Federal Express Corp.
That’s a symbolic blow to Biden, who has staked his political identity as an advocate for blue-collar workers and the organized labor movement. It also could be a warning sign for his 2024 reelection bid that relies on winning heavily unionized states — Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Biden has notched labor wins in recent weeks, including an endorsement from the United Auto Workers, but his campaign lags Trump in contributions from donors with oft-unionized job titles including mechanics and truckers, according to campaign finance records. Biden does better among workers who self-identify as professionals — including professors, scientists and psychologists — who prefer him at rates of three-to-one or more over Trump.
Political donors represent a small fraction of voters, but those who give are some of the most motivated supporters. The Federal Election Commission doesn’t ask contributors whether they are in a union, but collects data on employers and job titles, which provides a proxy for political support among union members. In an election that will likely feature two unpopular candidates, enthusiasm and turnout in key swing states will help make the difference.
Trump, who has yet to earn the endorsement of a major union, alluded…
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