Vice President Kamala Harris' support for electric vehicles (EV) could prove costly for her potential customers at a critical time Michigan is the swing state.
“As Republicans begin to embrace unions and workers, we are seeing a dramatic shift in voting behavior in Rust Belt states,” Jimmy Keady, founder and president of JLK Political Strategies, told Fox News Digital.
Come as Views for Comments Former President Donald Trump Michigan has continued to improve in recent weeks, with Trump now holding a narrow 0.9-point lead in the state, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.
This advantage represents a swing of almost three points in the race since the end of August, when Harris had a 2.2 point lead over the former president, according to the average historical view of the polls.
Michigan is ranked as a presidential contest state in the current Fox News Power Rankings.
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Vice President Kamala Harris. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Part of the reason for Trump's recent rise in the state may be the support of working-class union voters, who feared that the push toward EVs could put many of them out of work in the near future.
“I think it’s hurting Harris because it doesn’t work for the working class in the Biden-Harris agenda,” Michael Markey, a former Michigan Republican congressional candidate and financial consultant, told Fox News Digital.
The Trump campaign leaned into the narrative, releasing an ad earlier this month that warned Michigan voters about Democratic support for EVs.
“Attention auto workers: Kamala Harris wants to end all gas-powered cars,” the ad read. “Crazy but true!”
Markey believes the message is reaching Michigan voters, part of the reason Trump and the Republican Party have gained ground in the state.
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“It’s a slap in the face to unionized workers,” he said. “I think that’s why we’re seeing a lot of trends in the polls in favor of Republicans right now.”
For her part, Harris tried to push back against the narrative at a rally in Flint, Michigan, earlier this month, arguing that we would “never” demand the kind of car you should drive.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, in Uniondale, New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
However, There Are Republicans Harris has been insistent on both her support for the Biden administration's regulations on tailpipe emissions, the push for the phase-in of electric vehicles in new cars and heavy subsidies for electric vehicle production in the U.S. . They also pointed to Harris' plan during her 2020 presidential run to convert all new vehicles built in the US to zero emissions by 2030.
“They're saying… 'Nobody's going to force you or tell you what kind of car you can drive,' but they're setting standards through the EPA that basically mandate the production of electric vehicles,” Markey said.
Markey argued that Michigan workers have a long history of being at the forefront of the auto industry and don't want to lose jobs for a product that isn't profitable or sought after by customers.
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“The public is telling us what the next generation of cars will be,” Markey said. “They still want internal combustion engines, they want hybrids, but EVs… the masses are not there.”
That could pose a problem in places like Michigan, HarrisKD argued, citing the Democratic candidate's struggles with traditional blue voting blocs like unions.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media before boarding Air Force Two after assessing the recovery response from Hurricane Helen on October 5, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“The refusal to support the Teamsters is the number one sign that Harris is having trouble with union workers,” Keddy said. “It’s not just the Biden-Harris administration’s manufacturing policies that are hurting Michigan workers; his electric car mandate will add undue burden to middle class families.”
Harris' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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