Republicans would never be able to do that because the Republican preference for smaller government is incompatible with the desires of union favored policies. That is before you get to all the donor influence as well.
Culture wars.
The assumption that Democrats have nothing in common with real Americans like Police and firefighters.
I think it is also probably because a lot of cops and firefighters were pissed because of the Democrats' antiwar stance in the 2000s....a lot of them wanted vengeance for 9/11....their brothers and sisters died......
Or it probably goes back to the 1960s after the antiwar protests split the Left faction (Hardhat book from David Paul Kuhn)
A lot of cops and firefighters probably do benefit from Democratic policies, but they don't feel the Dems have their backs....especially cops......
