Hundreds of Cincinnati-area Democrats gathered at an amusement park in Hamilton, Ohio, on Saturday to hear former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg headline the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council's annual Labor Day picnic, where he touched on union power, the Brent Spence Bridge project, gerrymandering and affordability. His appearance alongside Ohio's Democratic gubernatorial nominee only added fuel to speculation that Buttigieg is eyeing a run for president in 2028.
The event, sponsored by the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, drew a crowd to Stricker's Grove for what the Cincinnati Enquirer described as a wide-ranging speech in which Buttigieg sketched out his priorities for the country. He was joined onstage by Dr. Amy Acton, the 2026 Democratic nominee for Ohio Governor, who is running against Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy in the November election, according to Ballotpedia. Acton previously served as director of the Ohio Department of Health during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and neither candidate in this year's governor's race has previously held elected office.
Before the lineup was confirmed, the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council teased a “national mystery guest” on social media.
A Bridge Project Years in the Making
Buttigieg used part of his remarks to discuss the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, the $4.05 billion effort to build a new double-deck companion bridge over the Ohio River and overhaul eight miles of Interstates 71 and 75 without adding tolls. Heavy construction on the project officially broke ground in May, according to Engineering News-Record.
The project received a $1.635 billion federal grant funded through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed during Buttigieg's tenure as U.S. Transportation Secretary, with the remaining costs split 50/50 between Ohio and Kentucky, per the Ohio Senate. That funding is a direct link between Buttigieg's former role in Washington and a project he could point to as tangible proof of federal investment reaching Southwestern Ohio.
The project's price tag has grown substantially since it was first pitched. National highway construction costs rose 61% between 2020 and 2025 according to the Federal Highway Administration, pushing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor estimate from an initial $3.6 billion projection to over $4 billion by this year, the City of Covington notes.
Union Membership Still Above National Average
Buttigieg's appearance put union issues at the center of the picnic, forming the backdrop against which he and Acton made their pitch to the crowd.
Buttigieg also spoke about gerrymandering and affordability during his remarks, according to the Enquirer's account of the event, tying national political themes to the concerns of the union members gathered at the picnic.
Where the Picnic Has Landed Before
Saturday's gathering took place at Stricker's Grove, while the AFL-CIO held its 2024 Labor Day event at the downtown ballpark, according to Hoodline's prior venue coverage.
Since stepping down as U.S. Transportation Secretary in early 2025, Buttigieg has remained in circulation as a potential Democratic presidential candidate ahead of 2028.
