Nothing says your party has a branding problem quite like losing the guy whose entire job is representing pipefitters and welders. Robert "Bobby" Bartels, Jr., the business manager for Steamfitters Local 638 in New York City, has had it with the Democratic Party, and he is not being subtle about it.
"I think they're communists, and I don't think they have the benefit of the working class, the real working class, the taxpayers, support," Bartels told Fox News, as The American Tribune reported. Not exactly a diplomatic breakup, but the man works with steam pipes for a living, not focus groups.
Steamfitters Local 638 has been around for over 150 years, representing steamfitters, pipefitters, HVAC technicians, welders, and industrial mechanical service technicians. For most of that history, they backed Democrats. Then they broke ranks and supported Donald Trump in 2024. Now Bartels is going even further, publicly torching the Democratic Socialists of America candidates who just won primary elections in New York City.
Those candidates, according to Fox News, include Darializa Avila Chevalier in the 13th District and Claire Valdez in the 7th District. Both are proud DSA members who defeated incumbent and establishment Democrats. Bartels is not impressed.
"They do have the people's support that want everything for free and want everything handed to them without working for it, and I think the Democratic Party is going way far to the left," Bartels explained. "And as a matter of fact, the more building trades people you speak to, the more they're going away from the Democratic Party."
So the party that built its identity on being the voice of the working man is now watching the actual working men walk out the door. That is what we in the business call "irony."
Bartels called the current crop of Democrats "narcissists" and said they keep doubling down on progressive policies that fail instead of correcting course. He singled out open border policies specifically, arguing they drive down wages for union workers.
"That we don't like," Bartels said. "You know why? Because they're bringing the illegal immigrants in here to steal the Americans' jobs and lower the rates."
He also said he is personally offended when far left politicians like Avila Chevalier claim to represent the working class. "Because I'm the working class, and they're not here to support me," Bartels said. "They want to support the people who want to take from the working class."
Brian Hunt, president of Steamfitters Local 638, was a bit more measured but landed in the same spot. "I think that DSA is going to have to try to find inroads through the labor movement in New York City because the labor movement in New York City, and I don't want to speak for everybody, but you know, personally, it feels like we align on things when we can, but a lot more of their policy has gone towards progressive politics that could end up getting in the way sometimes," Hunt told Fox.
When even your union guys are calling you communists, maybe it is time to reconsider the strategy of running candidates who think the phrase "means of production" belongs in casual conversation.
Read more American news stories at: The American Tribune
