MICHIGAN—Will Lawrence added another labor union to his corner this week.
The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, which represents more than 148 local unions statewide, endorsed Lawrence on Tuesday in his bid to unseat Republican US Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.
That puts firefighters alongside autoworkers, nurses, teachers, and electricians on a growing list of labor groups and advocacy organizations now backing Lawrence’s campaign.
Meanwhile, Barrett is drawing support from a different crowd, including national, conservative-leaning PACs like Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity Action, business groups like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, and President Donald Trump.
Endorsements don’t decide elections, but they can provide insight into who a candidate will listen to—and what sort of policies they might push for—once they’re elected to office.
Labor’s pick
The firefighters announced their endorsement outside the Lansing Fire Department on Tuesday morning, where the campaign also launched “First Responders for Will,” a group of current and retired firefighters, EMS workers, and police officers backing Lawrence.
“Having Will in Washington would be a valuable asset in fulfilling our mission of protecting the citizens and well-being of our communities,” union president Matthew Sahr said in a statement.
The firefighters join a long list of unions backing Lawrence—including the United Auto Workers, the Michigan AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, National Nurses United, and the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents federal workers.
Lawrence has also joined picket lines with workers at General Motors, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Sparrow Hospital, and Starbucks, and he’s pledged to co-sponsor the PRO Act, which would strengthen penalties on employers who fight union drives and override state right-to-work laws.
Barrett’s backers
Barrett’s endorsement list leans on money and party leadership.
Trump has endorsed him, and Republican US House Speaker Mike Johnson has campaigned with him in the district twice since August. Barrett is also backed by Club for Growth, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, and Americans for Prosperity Action—the political arm of a conservative network founded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.
Some of those groups are spending to help him, too. Elon Musk’s America PAC has spent around $100,000 on digital ads, texts, and mailers for Barrett, and Americans for Prosperity more than $200,000 on media and mail, according to The American Prospect.
Barrett’s latest Federal Election Commission filing also shows contributions from groups opposed to unions. They include $2,500 from the National Right to Work Committee, which describes itself as dedicated to “combatting the evils of compulsory unionism.”
Barrett’s campaign website also features endorsers from his 2022 run, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Kevin McCarthy, listed under his old title of House Republican leader.
It’s worth noting: Barrett does have some union support. Two police unions, the Police Officers Association of Michigan and the Fraternal Order of Police, endorsed him on Oct. 7.
Where they stand
Beyond labor, Lawrence’s endorsement list reads like a guide to his priorities.
Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Reproductive Freedom for All back him on abortion rights. Social Security Works and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare back him on retirement benefits. The Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, and the Sunrise Movement, which Lawrence co-founded, back him on climate.
Barrett’s backers point in a different direction. Club for Growth praises Barrett’s push to end clean energy subsidies, cut government spending, and roll back regulations.
Lawrence’s campaign, meanwhile, says Barrett has voted with Trump “99% of the time,” including on healthcare cuts that led to higher premiums for millions of Americans.
Absentee voting is underway. Early voting opens statewide Oct. 24. Election Day is Nov. 3.
READ MORE: Why Bernie Sanders is rallying Mid-Michigan voters behind Will Lawrence
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