Within hours of Donald Trump’s speech Monday at the Detroit Economic Club, Congresswoman Candice Miller’s opponent for Macomb County Public Works Commissioner called on her to withdraw her endorsement of Trump and “repudiate” the presidential nominee’s previous comments about Michigan autoworkers deserving less pay.
The incumbent Democrat, Commissioner Anthony Marrocco, delivered his dump-Trump statement in a press release. He noted that Trump has said the domestic automakers should become more competitive by paying their workers less. Once “a couple of plants” in Michigan close, Trump said, the workers will accept smaller paychecks.
“As Donald Trump’s number one fan in Michigan, it’s obvious that Candice Miller is completely out of touch with hard-working Macomb County families,” Marrocco said. “… Let’s not forget, Trump wanted the auto companies to go bankrupt. And through all of this Candice Miller has continued to loyally support a candidate that clearly does not support Michigan’s middle class families.”
Miller became the first Michigan Republican member of Congress to endorse Trump in May. Some others in the delegation eventually followed suit: Reps. Mike Bishop of Rochester, Dave Trott of Birmingham, Tim Walberg of Tipton and Dan Benishek of the Upper Peninsula. Like Miller, Benishek is retiring from the House.
Though the public works post consists of overseeing the county’s drains and sewers – and has no dealings with the auto industry – Marrocco pounced at a time when Trump’s campaign, by all measures, is going badly.
But Marrocco’s message became garbled when he criticized Trump’s “bogus economic thinking” and then blasted Miller, a Harrison Township Republican, for supporting
Marrocco
U.S. free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Columbia. Trump’s stridently anti-free trade stance represents the most protectionist position taken by a Republican presidential nominee in decades.
“Unlike Candice Miller, I am proud to stand with the United Auto Workers of Michigan and all Macomb County families,” said Marrocco, a Ray Township Democrat. “Congresswoman Miller is obviously out of touch with the concerns of regular Michiganders. She should repudiate her endorsement of Trump, and stand with Michigan’s workers, not a billionaire businessman.”
The union is out of touch.