Sadlowski contended that McBride was too close to employers and not in touch with steelworkers. The campaign was a bitter one. McBride received the support of Abel and AFL-CIO president George Meany, while Sadlowski won the backing of Ralph Nader, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith and General Motors heir Stewart Rawlings Mott.
Sadlowski believed that McBride's connections to business leaders made him unsuitable for the steelworkers' position. The campaign was marked by tension and rivalry. McBride received support from Abel and AFL-CIO president George Meany, while Sadlowski won backing from Ralph Nader, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith, and Stewart Rawlings Mott.