Gary McDowell (D-Mich.), a 33-year UPS driver and Teamster member, is a candidate in an election that will determine the fate of working people in Michigan and beyond.
McDowell is running for Congress in Michigan’s 1st District in what is currently one of the tightest races in the country. The winner of this race will help determine which party is in the majority in next year’s Congress. And the candidates’ platforms couldn’t be more different.
McDowell supports job creation, tax relief for middle-class families and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.
“I am a strong supporter of the working class and I will continue to stand up for workers in Washington as a U.S. Congressman. There’s no more important time to get people in Congress who understand the average working person and the struggles we face,” McDowell said.
The 1st District is Michigan’s largest geographical district, encompassing all of the Upper Peninsula and much of the northern Lower Peninsula. McDowell got to know many of his constituents in the region from his work as a UPS driver.
McDowell has considerable experience as a state representative, as well as a board chairman and member of the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners for more than two decades. He was also a trustee of the local hospital, a volunteer firefighter and volunteer EMT in his community and is a lifelong farmer.
McDowell urges Teamsters to not just go out and vote, but to talk with their co-workers about the importance of voting. With anti-collective bargaining bills being pushed in legislatures across the country, McDowell knows that union members can never take for granted their hard-earned rights to bargain collectively.
“This race is so important to working families. I’m going to fight with everything I have to improve the quality of life for all men and women,” McDowell said. “I’m especially proud to be a Teamster.”
