BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Before a Team Trump rally featuring campaign surrogates Erin Perrine, Marc Lotter, Matt Schlapp, Meshawn Maddick and Laura Cox, a line of UPS drivers drove by the Calhoun County Republican Headquarters to show their support for the president. Although UPS is part of the Teamsters union, a large portion of the drivers back Trump.
Calhoun County GOP has a Trump campaign bus event today. UPS drivers are driving by honking and showing their support for @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/P5Q7VktAoH
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) September 22, 2020
According to Jeannie Burchfield, the Chair of the Calhoun County Republican Party, people in Southwest Michigan are fired up for President Trump. The biggest thing that has invigorated the area is jobs.
"Amidst the coronavirus and the government shutdown of Michigan, job security has become the number one issue," Burchfield told Townhall. "We like all of his policies but the job security, putting an end to NAFTA, bringing manufacturing jobs to the United States, that's the thing that's bringing over the crossover votes. People who, maybe five years ago would have never voted Republican are excited to support our president. We get a lot of that here in the office."
One of the reason Teamsters are supporting Trump is because of the violence that's taking place In Democrat-run cities across the nation. Burchfield said Teamsters' polling showed between 52 and 55 percent of Teamsters supported Trump in 2016, which was before the violence began plaguing the nation.
"That was before Democrat-run cities became such hotbeds of violence. The truckers are literally being pulled from their truck, in some cases, to their death," she explained. "Teamsters, they want their jobs, they wanna go home to their families, they want job security, they want paycheck security, and they want an America that is safe, and beautiful, and that they can get back home safely."
Jeannie Burchfield, the Chair of the Calhoun County GOP, said people are excited for @realDonaldTrump. Jobs and getting rid of NAFTA are a huge plus. Even Teamsters are excited. pic.twitter.com/AjoeCdWAYm
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) September 22, 2020
When a petition was floating around for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) to reopen the state, Burchfield said Teamsters asked the Calhoun County GOP to hold a special signing so drivers could sign before and after work.
This election cycle it will be interesting to see what number of union members, particularly those that supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, decide to vote for the Trump-Pence ticket. In small town America, getting rid of NAFTA and bringing manufacturing jobs home is huge. It means the difference between an entire area having jobs and prosperity.