CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A lifelong Republican firefighter caused quite a stir at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night when he took center stage to announce that he was voting for President Barack Obama.
Ohio Firefighter Doug Stern said that after identifying as a Republican his whole life, he started to feel mistreated by the GOP, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Somewhere along the way, being a public employee — someone who works for my community — made me a scapegoat for the GOP,” he said.
The driving force behind his decision to convert parties was the “debilitating results” of the efforts made to end collective bargaining for public employees across the nation.
The Los Angeles Times reports that other once-Republicans in Ohio are changing their votes after seeing the lengths at which Republicans try to cut back bargaining, including Ohio’s Fraternal Order of Police.
“We support those who support us. That’s why this Republican — sorry, former Republican — stands here today,” Firefighter Stern said.
Some analysts say the constant bargaining negotiations and tensions between unions and government policy in Ohio could help the president win over the state.