Independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan’s Sunday evening post on X, in which he listed a number of unions that supported him, was posted in error, a spokesperson from his campaign said, and some of the unions listed have not yet endorsed in the race. The post has since been deleted.
“15 labor unions didn’t endorse me to help one party or the other. They endorsed me because I deliver for working people,” Duggan posted, which The Detroit News reported specifically listed the United Auto Workers Local 412, the Teamsters, the Operating Engineers and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
But the UAW and the SEIU, both influential labor groups in Michigan, have not endorsed anyone in the gubernatorial race yet. Both released statements clarifying that they have not endorsed Duggan.
“SEIU Michigan has not yet endorsed a candidate for the governor of Michigan,” the SEIU said in a press release, with the UAW similarly stating that they have not yet made an endorsement in the race.
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Duggan has been endorsed by Teamsters Joint Council 43, but many local chapters have endorsed Duggan’s two Democratic competitors. Teamsters Local 243, 247, 283, 406 and 1038 have endorsed Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, while Teamsters Local 332 and 614 have endorsed Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
Operating Engineers 324 have also endorsed Swanson.
Duggan does also boast a number of other labor endorsements, including Pipefitters Local 636, American Postal Workers Union Local 480-481 and the Detroit Police Officers Association.
This is the second time in this campaign cycle that Duggan’s campaign has had to correct errors on his labor endorsement announcements — in September, he was asked to retract a statement that he had been endorsed by the Michigan Teamsters Joint Council “on behalf of their 10 affiliated local unions,” a number of which endorsed other candidates.
A post still up on Duggan’s X account as of the time of publication says that Duggan has 17 labor union endorsements, as well as three chambers of commerce, saying “They said an Independent couldn’t build a real coalition. They were wrong.”
Duggan’s website currently only shows 13 labor union endorsements, alongside three chambers of commerce.
