Staff Reports
Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona has taken a sudden leap into the warm embrace of organized labor, just in time for the prospect of his potential promotion to the role of Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate. In a move that seems to be as rehearsed as a NASA launch countdown, Kelly has decided to support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, a dramatic shift from his previous hesitations. This bill serves as a green light, aimed at making it easier for unions to sprout up faster than a weed in a neglected garden.
This newfound pro-union stance appears to come at a crucial moment, as Harris considers her selection for a running mate and Kelly’s profile naturally rises like a hot air balloon on a calm morning. The junior senator, once a NASA astronaut and Navy ace, is now elbow-deep in the political arena, attempting to secure a spot on a campaign that consistently champions labor unions—an essential cog in the Democratic machine. It seems that Kelly is eager to prove that he can be “union-friendly,” which he hopes will win him the hearts of Democratic operatives scrutinizing his candidacy.
Harris VP candidate changes tune on pro-union bill after progressive angsthttps://t.co/Z1C1YYWz7j. In English he's kissing kamala ass so he can be vice president
— rabbit (@poeboy) July 25, 2024
The AFL-CIO, the heavyweight champion of labor unions, recently gave Harris their endorsement, and Kelly’s pivot on union issues can be interpreted as a strategic alignment with the interests of the Democratic Party. It’s hard not to see this as a calculated move; after all, what’s a senator to do when he faces backlash from his party for not towing the union line? Looking back, Kelly had previously expressed reservations about the nuances of the PRO Act, stating that he was essentializing more qualifications for independent contractors. Clearly, those concerns melted like ice in the Arizona sun when the prospect of higher office came into play.
In the lead-up to this apparent epiphany, there were rumblings among Kelly’s Democratic allies, foreshadowing the lack of support he would face if he continued to resist the pro-union tide. The stakes were high, and John Samuelsen, the progressive head of the Transport Workers Union, made it clear that a failure to back the bill could cost Kelly his shot at the vice presidency. If Kelly hoped to play in the big leagues, he had to align with the powers that be—unions, that is.
Fast forward three years, and the senator’s tune has transformed into a smooth ballad of union praise. Although Kelly had once raised valid points about labor market flexibility, he’s now singing a different melody. With his recent proclamation of unwavering support for the PRO Act, it is clear he aims to put those concerns behind him in the name of political expediency. Party loyalty—or perhaps the fear of political irrelevance—has proven to be stronger than Kelly’s initial apprehensions, reminding everyone how politics can morph faster than a state’s voter registration laws when the right incentives are on the table.
