A union was required to compensate its members for their attendance at a rally on September 7, which aimed to support the highly vulnerable Democratic Representative Susan Wild from Pennsylvania, as revealed by a text message acquired by the Washington Free Beacon.

The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers incentivized its members with a payment of $100 to participate in a “labor rally/canvass launch” in favor of Wild, according to the Free Beacon. The Pennsylvania Democrat, who represents the region surrounding Allentown, is currently engaged in a closely contested reelection campaign, with the Cook Political Report, a non-partisan election analysis organization, categorizing her race as a toss-up.

“Wear your Union Colors and there will be a $100 stipend for those that would like to participate,” the message obtained by the Free Beacon read.

Although it remains uncertain whether Wild was aware that individuals were compensated to participate in her rally, she readily took to social media to promote the event.

“What a great way to kick off the morning!” she wrote on X following the rally. “THANK YOU to all the labor leaders, union members & volunteers who showed up today to talk about the stakes for working people in this election—and then went to knock some doors!”

The AFL-CIO, which supervises the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, also endorsed the event.

“Right after Labor Day, join Team Wild as labor unions across the state announce their public endorsement of Susan Wild for Congress in PA-07,” an announcement from the labor organization reads. “After the rally, we will go knock on doors and spread the word to union members about just how important it is to re-elect Rep. Wild this November!”

Union leadership has shown considerable support for Wild, with significant contributions amounting to tens of thousands of dollars over the years from the bricklayers union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which hosted the event at its Allentown facility, as indicated by campaign finance records. In contrast, the rank-and-file members of the unions have exhibited more conservative tendencies compared to their leadership in recent years.

A 2020 internal poll of members from North America’s Building Trades Unions revealed a nearly equal division of support between then-President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Additionally, professions such as truckers, machinists, painters, and construction workers, many of whom are unionized, were among those most inclined to contribute to Trump’s campaign in 2020. While Trump secured victory in Wild’s district in 2020, she managed to win it by a narrow margin of just two points in 2022, as reported by the Free Beacon.