Struggling Democrats hope growing union support will provide boost in midterms

Riley Hughlett (Andi Rice)

On paper, Riley Hughlett’s not someone Democrats have a chance of winning. He’s an Alabama coal miner, votes to protect the Second Amendment, opposes abortion and watches Fox News.

But he’s also a coal miner – one who’s been on strike against Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama, alongside hundreds of others for the past year. He’s manned picket lines, collected strike insurance checks and attended weekly rallies for the union. And in January, lunch at one of those rallies was covered by Bernie Sanders.

Hughlett ate anyway.