U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) reacting to Sen. J.D. Vance's (R-OH) handshake with a fist bump at a UAW picket line in Toledo, Ohio. (Screenshot via 13 Action News on X)

On Friday morning, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) attended a United Auto Workers strike at the Toledo Assembly Complex, where he was coldy greeted with a fist bump from U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH).

Kaptur asked Vance if this was “his first time here,” which subtly pointing out Vance’s previous lack of attendance. He blamed his absence on scheduling conflicts.

Vance also made a statement voicing his support for the union.

“This isn’t about politics,” Vance insisted. “For many years, the auto workers took it on the chin to enable the industry to retool, reinvest and thrive. Today, the industry is doing well, and the workers should get a slice of the pie.”

Vance’s words echo those of former President Donald Trump, who attempted to portray himself as an ally to the striking union workers during a rally in Michigan on Sept. 27. In reality, Trump made a slew of anti-union appointments and policy proposals during his time as president.

Trump endorsed Vance during his Senate run in 2022, and Vance continued to espouse Trump’s voter fraud rhetoric after the 2020 presidential election. Vance was one of nine Republican senators who voted against the last-minute stopgap bill that avoided a government shutdown.