Teamsters will not endorse any candidate for president after poll of union workers shows overwhelming support for Trump
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced that it would not be endorsing any candidate for president for the first time since 1988.
The union made the decision after revealing polling of union members had overwhelmingly rejected the Democratic ticket.
‘I’ve employed thousands of Teamsters, and I thought we should come over and pay our respects.’
In an electronic member poll after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, 59.6% of union members said the union should back Trump while only 34% said they should support Harris. In a research phone poll after the two conventions, 58% said the union should support Trump while only 31% said they should support Harris.
“We strongly encourage all our members to vote in the upcoming election, and to remain engaged in the political process,” read a statement from Teamsters president Sean O’Brien. “But this year, no candidate for President has earned the endorsement of the Teamsters’ International Union.”
The astounding decision is seen as a victory for former President Donald Trump’s efforts to pull away unions from the Democratic Party.
The former president met with union leaders in January in a bid to obtain their endorsement, and in July, the Teamsters president gave a stirring speech at the Republican National Convention.
“Usually a Republican wouldn’t get that endorsement,” said Trump in January. “But in my case it’s different because I’ve employed thousands of Teamsters, and I thought we should come over and pay our respects.”
Trump choosing U.S. Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate was also seen as a gesture toward gaining the favor of unions because of Vance’s support of tariffs and protectionist economic policies.
“For the short time we’ve worked together, he’s been great on Teamster issues,” said O’Brien on Fox News. “He’s been right there on all our issues.”
The union had also made campaign donations of $45,000 to each of the party’s conventions, the first time the Teamsters had done so in 24 years.
A spokesperson for the Harris campaign released a statement about the Teamsters decision.
“As the Vice President told the Teamsters on Monday, when she is elected president, she will look out for the Teamsters rank-and-file no matter what – because they always have been and always will be the people she fights for,” said Lauren Hitt.
Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas used the decision to hit Democrats on the issue of illegal immigration.
“The Teamsters—and all workers—know that President Kamala would invite tens of millions more illegal aliens to lower wages for Americans. A vote for President Trump is a vote for a bigger paycheck,” he wrote on X.
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