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 maintained that McBride had too close a relationship with corporate interests and was not in sync with the steelworkers' needs. The campaign was characterized by hostility and competition. McBride received backing from Abel and AFL-CIO president George Meany, while Sadlowski secured support from Ralph Nader, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith, and Stewart Rawlings Mott.