Missouri has a unique feature among Republican-dominated states: it has a strong and politically significant organized labor force.

Individual unions often play an important role in campaigns for state and national offices. And although unions are a core constituency for the Democratic Party, unions in Missouri have also participated in Republican primaries—particularly when the Republican candidates espouse pro-labor views.

During an episode of the Political consultation hour in St. Louis on air, Jake Hummel, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO, spoke about how unions are approaching the upcoming election cycle, including his group’s endorsement of Democrat Crystal Quade and Republican Mike Kehoe in last month’s gubernatorial primary – which he said was unusual.

“Crystal has been there for us every step of the way, no matter what we’ve needed,” Hummel said. “She’s always been there for us. I have a good relationship with Mike Kehoe. And while we don’t agree on everything, I think Governor Kehoe is smart enough to know how Missouri voters think.”

Kehoe was asked on a June episode of Politically Speaking Hour whether he would sign a law implementing “right to work” legislation, which prohibits unions and employers from requiring their workers to pay dues as a condition of employment. He said that while he has supported the policy in the past, voters were vocal when they repealed right to work in 2018.

However, Kehoe did not go so far as to say that he would oppose a hypothetical bill.

“There are different versions of the right to work being discussed,” he said. “So I would like to look at the draft bill … before I just say a blanket word about it.”

Hummel said Kehoe’s lack of determination to block a right-to-work bill was the reason the Missouri AFL-CIO endorsed Quade in the general election.

“She made no secret of the fact that she would oppose right-to-work,” Hummel said. “In the primaries, some of our members … are leaning toward the other side of the aisle. We wanted to help steer them in a direction with someone we could at least work with.”

To win?

Hummel was alluding to the fact that some union members are conservative on social issues, meaning they may vote for Republican candidates even if they are not completely convinced by their views on labor issues.

And while Hummel said the vast majority of union members are “not super conservative,” he added that many union members tend to lean more toward a centrist view.

“Do we have far-right members? Absolutely. I think everyone does,” said Hummel, a Democrat in the Missouri General Assembly. “And they may be more represented in some of these unions. But … I think most of our members lean toward the Democratic side of the aisle.”

One Republican trying to gain traction with union members is U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, who told St. Louis Public Radio at the Missouri State Fair that he no longer supports right-to-work laws and even called himself the “most pro-worker Republican in the U.S. Senate.”

Democrat Lucas Kunce, who was standing next to Hawley when he made the comment, said his rival was “fed up” when it came to labor issues, citing a series of Hawley’s votes in the Senate and his past advocacy for right-to-work.

Hummel said that while he was pleased that Hawley’s stance on unions had “evolved,” his organization would wait to see how he votes in the future before praising him. The Missouri AFL-CIO endorsed Kunce early in the primary cycle, a move that likely cemented the Independence Democrat as the front-runner against Hawley.

“We’re looking for someone who has the best chance to beat (Hawley),” Hummel said. “And we firmly believed that would be Lucas Kunce.”

Editor’s note: Rosenbaum is a member of SEIU Local 1 when he is an adjunct professor at Washington University. The non-senior editors at STLPR, including Rosenbaum, are represented by CWA Local 6350. Both unions are part of the Missouri AFL-CIO.

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