President Trump on Friday expressed confidence electrical workers will vote for him after former Vice President Joe Biden, one of his possible 2020 opponents, spoke to a major union group.
“I’ve employed thousands of Electrical Workers. They will be voting for me!” the real estate mogul-turned-president tweeted.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the group to which Biden spoke on Friday, endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump has long claimed, however, that rank-and-file union workers support him.{mosads}
Trump has taken particular interest in Biden of late, a sign he views the former vice president as a formidable challenger. Political operatives believe Biden could chisel away at Trump’s support among white working-class voters.
But the president said earlier Friday he does not view Biden as a threat.
“No, I don’t see Joe Biden as a threat. No. I don’t see him as a threat. I think he’s only a threat to himself,” he told reporters.
Trump has taken aim at Biden over allegations by women who say the former vice president made them feel uncomfortable with unwanted touching, even posting an edited parody video of Biden on his Twitter feed Thursday.
Biden cracked a joke about the controversy, which has hung over his decision on whether to run for president, during his speech to the union when he hugged IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson.
“I want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie,” Biden said to laughter from the crowd.
Later in his speech, Biden invited several children on stage, shaking their hands. The former vice president later put his arm around one of the boys, joking again that he had permission to touch him.