Big news today out of Michigan:
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer was endorsed Friday by the Teamster’s dominant Michigan Joint Council, a development that helps the ground game for the former state Senate Minority Leader over union rollbacks under Republican rule.
Led by International Brotherhood of Teamsters President James P. Hoffa, various Teamsters local members from around the region came to the Motor City Casino’s Sound Board Theater to show their support for Whitmer, a candidate “that’s going to change the whole complexion of this state,” said Teamsters Joint Council #43 President Greg Nowak.
The 65,000-member Teamsters Joint Council #43 represents workers including as many as 13 Michigan locals representing workers such as freight drivers and warehouse workers. Last year, Whitmer received an early endorsement from Teamsters Local 299-Detroit.
“We’ve had eight terrible years,” said Hoffa, to chants from members of his famous surname. “We need money for our elders. We need money for our veterans. We need money for our teachers. We need money to fix the potholes. We’ve got a chance to do it, but only if we get hard and get behind the candidate of the future.”
Whitmer said she is “fed up with the state of Michigan and where we are at right now.”
“We deserve better,” she continued. “I got in this race for governor because I love the state of Michigan. I think we need to remember that it was labor that built the middle class in Michigan and that people moved to Michigan to be a part of. You knew that when you moved to Michigan you had a good job that paid you well-enough to raise your family up and retire with dignity in this state.”
Whitmer said Michigan is not that state anymore under nearly eight years of Gov. Rick Snyder. “Let’s make Michigan a state where working people can get ahead,” she said.
Whitmer has been picking up a lot of major organized labor endorsements for her gubernatorial bid. She earned the Michigan Education Association’s endorsement back in January. Click here for the full list of union endorsements for Whitmer.
It’s time to get even for Governor Rick Snyder (R. MI) and the GOP for passing right-to-work laws in Michigan. Also, Whitmer is out with her first major ad for the general election. Here’s the e-mail I received from Whitmer’s campaign:
Like most Michiganders, I was brought up to work hard. And I’m ready to work hard as your next governor.
It’s time Michigan had a governor who’s in your corner, who will fix the roads and rebuild our economy for working families.
Watch our new ad today and learn why I’m committed to fighting for the Michigan we deserve. Then add your name to say you’re ready for a governor who is in your corner.
I’m ready to continue fighting to rebuild the middle class in Michigan. Together we are going to protect Healthy Michigan and fight to end the retirement tax that’s breaking our promise to seniors after a lifetime of work. It’s time to get things done.
Watch this new ad to find out how I’ll get things done as your next governor. Then, add your name to say you’re ready for a governor who will fight for Michiganders.
We still have a long way to go if we want to win in November. But I’m ready to stand in your corner, because we need a governor who’s serious about fixing the roads and putting people to work doing it.
Let’s get it done, right now.
Gretchen
Click here to donate to Whitmer’s campaign.