Big news today out of Michigan:
The United Auto Workers union endorsed on Monday former state Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, putting most unions and establishments groups behind the former state Senate minority leader.
UAW President Dennis Williams said after watching all the candidates, “how they perform” and reviewing their accomplishments, Whitmer was their choice.
“Gretchen is a proven candidate,” Williams said at the UAW's Solidarity House east of downtown. “She knows how to legislate. She knows how to work across the aisle. And she knows how to rebuild the economy for the state of Michigan.”
Then, in a quip about the condition of Michigan’s road, he bellowed, “Gretchen, will you fix those damn potholes?”
The endorsement came a week and a half after Michigan’s Teamsters locals and International President James P. Hoffa endorsed Whitmer.
Whitmer said the UAW endorsement is huge because their members represent not only the auto industry and many other professions – about 385,000 across the state – whom she hopes support her campaign.
“Their endorsement is really meaningful in terms of saying to the world that I'm a candidate that's going to fight for working people,” Whitmer said after the news conference. “I think people feel like too many politicians are looking out for their donors or just adhere to partisan politics instead of remembering who they are supposed to be working for, and that’s what this is about for me.”
During her remarks, Whitmer took aim at Gov. Rick Snyder and potential GOP opponent, Attorney General Bill Schuette, by saying “they have worked to undermine working men and women in Michigan.”
“It’s been a long time since Michiganders have had a governor in their corner,” she said. “But we are unifying, we are bringing people together and we are locking arms. Because it is time for us to start setting the agenda here in Michigan again.”
It’s time to punish Republicans for making Michigan a right-to-work state and to undo the damage and strengthen organized labor to help save the middle-class. Click here to donate and get involved with Whitmer’s campaign.