Three-Time Trump Voter Says 'He's Done', Starts Canvassing for Democrats After Job Loss in Ohio

Kyle Bos says he voted for Donald Trump in three presidential elections. Now, after losing his job at a truck factory in Springfield, Ohio, he plans to canvass for Democrats ahead of November's midterm elections.

'Something has to change politically in this country,' Bos, 30, told the Associated Press. 'Seems like it just kept getting worse and worse and worse.' He described growing frustration with household costs and uncertainty about his next job.

Springfield Job Losses Follow End of Production

Bos was among approximately 1,341 workers affected when International Motors ended operations at two Springfield facilities on 30 September. The company, formerly known as Navistar, had announced plans to sell the Springfield Assembly Plant and Truck Specialty Center to Roshel, a Canadian vehicle manufacturer.

The job losses followed the expiration of a contract manufacturing agreement. Roshel plans to establish production at the sites for commercial, specialty and armoured vehicles, but those plans did not mean International's workforce would automatically retain their jobs.

The distinction matters for former employees now facing a gap in earnings: the prospect of future production is not the same as a confirmed return-to-work date.

Roshel told the news agency it was working to protect the workforce and aimed to more than double employment over the coming years. Workers interviewed for the report expected possible rehiring within six to 12 months, but that was not a guaranteed company timetable.

As of the report's publication, there was no firm public schedule establishing when Bos or other former employees would be hired. Their immediate circumstances remained job losses and uncertainty, despite the buyer's longer-term plans.

Bos Questions Promises on Household Costs

Bos, a United Auto Workers member and father of two, described himself as a centrist. He pointed to grocery costs and the strain on his family's finances as reasons for his frustration. The loss of his job added uncertainty about how he would support his household.

Other workers described their own pressures. Marianne Donnelly, another employee interviewed for the report, spoke about reduced overtime.

The layoffs came shortly before Trump's scheduled 3 October rally in nearby Vandalia. The report documenting Bos's comments was published before the event.

Bos also criticised Trump's proposed $5,000 (£3,750) payments if Republicans retained control of Congress, as described in the report.

'It feels like a bribe, a slap in the face,' he said.

Poll Records Economic Dissatisfaction

A separate AP-NORC survey conducted on 24–28 September found that 17% of US adults approved of Trump's handling of the cost of living, while 26% approved of his handling of the economy overall.

The poll also found that 65% attributed higher-than-usual prices to Trump's policies. It surveyed 2,140 adults and had an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

Those findings measure public opinion. They do not establish that Trump's policies caused the Springfield layoffs, which followed the end of the manufacturing agreement and the planned change in ownership.

Bos's decision is likewise one voter's account, not proof of a wider electoral shift. After supporting Trump in three elections, he now plans to spend the weeks before the 3 November midterms helping Democrats win votes.