Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) dodged a handshake from Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) during a visit with striking United Auto Workers members at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio on Friday.
As the strike against General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis nears its third week and expanded recently, the Republican from Ohio showed his support for striking auto workers. Vance approached Kaptur, who was speaking to the media, and extended a handshake, to which the Democrat offered a fist bump.
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“Nice to see you, Marcy,” Vance said while laughing at the awkward exchange. “First time here?” Kaptur asked, to which Vance replied, “First time here, yeah.” The Democrat thanked Vance for coming out.
Vance said this week that his busy schedule in Washington, D.C., has prevented him from visiting the picket lines sooner, adding that the Senate recess in October presented the opportunity to show his support.
His appearance on Friday marked his first trip to the picket lines. Kaptur and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have previously visited striking autoworkers in Toledo.
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Following his stop, Vance said he was proud to support them and encourage better wages for the workers. Vance is among a small subset of Republicans who have visited strikers, following Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) trip this week and former President Donald Trump’s appearance last week.
“This isn’t about politics. For many years, the auto workers took it on the chin to enable the industry to retool, reinvest, and thrive,” Vance said. “Today, the industry is doing well and the workers should get a slice of the pie.”
