The United Auto Workers is working to regain political influence in closely contested Michigan. The UAW generally supports Democrats, but its members are divided over whether Democrats or Republicans better represent working-class interests. Internal divisions and past corruption scandals have eroded trust among rank-and-file members of the union leadership. UAW President Shawn Fain was elected in 2023, and he's emphasized transparency and has gained support through victories in labor disputes. The union is mobilizing voters and trying to rebuild trust and political relevance. Leaders hope these efforts will translate into votes for their endorsed candidates in the midterms and beyond.

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Walter Usakowski, from left, a retired worker from the Ford Motor Co.'s Sterling Axe Plant who plans to vote for the union's slate of Democratic candidates in the midterms, talks with United Auto Workers union canvassers LaShawn Barnett, Kim Avouris and JJ Jewell in Shelby Township, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

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JJ Jewell, from right, Kim Avouris and LaShawn Barnett canvass for the United Auto Workers union in Shelby Township, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

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FILE - United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain addresses the crowd during a campaign rally for Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, July 18, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez, File)

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United Auto Workers union canvassers JJ Jewell, from left, LaShawn Barnett and Kim Avouris check canvassing routes on their phones in Shelby Township, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacqueline GaNun)

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FILE - Unsold 2026 F-150 pickup trucks sit in a long line outside a Ford dealership on April 12, 2026, in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)