Organized Labor Drives Democratic Victories in 2026 Midterms
The AFL-CIO and United Auto Workers mobilized millions of voters to help Democrats regain power in Washington and several state houses.
Organized labor drove a significant blue wave in the 2026 midterm elections, helping Democrats regain control of Washington and multiple state houses. The AFL-CIO launched a seven-figure media campaign and engaged nearly 15 million voters, while the United Auto Workers (UAW) conducted 100,000 door knocks and 500,000 phone calls in Michigan.
These efforts secured key victories for candidates including Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown in Ohio, and Abdul El-Sayed and Jocelyn Benson in Michigan. Union households voted for Democrats by a 22-percentage-point margin, marking the highest such gap in four election cycles. In Nevada, AFL-CIO members focused their canvassing efforts on Aaron Ford.
Following the results, union leaders demanded that the new Democratic majorities prioritize inflation, worker protections, and guaranteed union jobs. UAW President Shawn Fain emphasized that future labor support is not guaranteed by party affiliation alone, asserting that politicians must earn their support through concrete legislative action.
