The Metro: Retired UAW member shares why he proudly supported Donald Trump
Brian Pannebecker, a retired auto worker and 25-year UAW member from Macomb County, spoke with “The Metro” producer Sam Corey about how Trump earned his vote.
A crowd watches Republican former President Donald Trump speak at a rally in Novi as he campaigns for another term.
President-elect Donald Trump won both the electoral college and the popular vote in the presidential election by gaining support from a broad swath of Americans.
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One notable area of support came from union members. Generally when the leadership of an organization supports a candidate — as United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain did Vice President Kamala Harris — many rank and file members tend to support that candidate as well. Recent polling of UAW members and member households across key battleground states showed strong support for Harris over Trump by 22 points. But for some UAW members, Trump’s messaging resonated more than Harris’.
Brian Pannebecker, a retired auto worker and 25-year UAW member from Macomb County, was one of them. He spoke with The Metro Producer Sam Corey about what drew him to Trump and the difference in views that exist between union members on opposing sides of the presidential race.
Pannebeckers says he left the UAW when “Right to Work” laws came about in Michigan in 2017. He organized the Facebook group “Auto Workers for Trump,” which amassed thousands of followers — including auto workers and auto suppliers. He also spoke at several of Trump’s rallies in Michigan.
“Trump appeals to the average working man and woman. I mean, that’s who he speaks to. And I know a lot of people find that, you know, sort of unusual to consider,” said Pannebecker.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
More headlines from The Metro Nov 7:
- The 21st annual Detroit Tree Lighting is set to take place on Friday, Nov. 22 at Campus Martius in Downtown Detroit. Laura Dean, director of parks and public spaces for the Downtown Detroit Partnership, joined The Metro to talk more about this year’s event.
- When President-elect Donald Trump took office in 2016, we started hearing the word “unprecedented” a lot. Trump has obliterated all kinds of norms and fundamentally changed the office of president. To discuss this drastic shift in American politics, professor and historian Jeremi Suri joined the show.
- This election season left some voters feeling seen and heard while others are at a loss and maybe even grieving. No matter who you voted for, anxious feelings leading up to this election were felt from many directions. Now that the election has been called, those feelings have been amplified for some. Dr. Rheeda Walker, a clinical psychologist and co-author of “Calm in Chaos: A Quick-Relief Guide for Managing Anxiety and Overwhelm in Loud and Uncertain Times,” joined the show to share some advice.
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