Teamsters Won’t Endorse Presidential Candidate—Ending Long Run Of Democratic Endorsements

Topline

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced Wednesday it will not make an endorsement for president this year, breaking a decades-long streak of endorsing Democratic presidential candidates after it found no definitive support for Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

Key Facts

The 1.4 million-member union said it “was left with few commitments on top Teamsters issues” from Trump and Harris, noting it was unable to secure pledges from candidates to “not interfere in critical union campaigns or core Teamsters industries.”

The non-endorsement comes after years of backing Democrats—the last time it didn’t endorse the Democratic nominee was when former President Bill Clinton ran against Bob Dole in 1996.

The Teamsters released presidential endorsements polling data Wednesday revealing President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race in late July, received 44% of the union’s vote in straw polls conducted before he bowed out.

Harris was unable to command similar support in later Teamster polls, with Trump earning 59.6% of the vote compared to Harris’ 34% in an electronic member poll conducted from July 24 to Sept. 15, and capturing 58% of the vote compared to Harris’ 31% in a research phone poll conducted between Sept. 9 and Sept. 15.

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Crucial Quote

“Unfortunately, neither major candidate was able to make serious commitments to our union to ensure the interests of working people are always put before Big Business,” Teamsters union president Sean O’Brien said in a statement.

Surprising Fact

O’Brien was a speaker at the Republican National Convention, where he said the union was “not beholden to anyone or any party.” O’Brien delivered some praise for Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, but also critiqued the Republican Party for what he called its “active opposition” of labor unions.

Key Background

The Teamsters endorsed Biden in 2020, though internal divisions within the union were one of the reasons it considered not endorsing a presidential candidate, according to Reuters. Biden voiced strong support for unions during his campaign, going so far as to join striking United Auto Workers members on the picket line last year despite critiques from the union. The president also received support from multiple unions while campaigning, with groups like the United Steelworkers, the Laborers’ International Union of North America and Communications Workers of America pledging their support for him after a poor debate performance that triggered questions about his ability to lead, The Washington Post reported. Trump has worked to court union workers throughout the election cycle, attempting to capture the United Auto Workers support around the same time Biden stood with striking members. However, the former president was denounced by the United Auto Workers, who compared him to wealthy company executives and the “billionaire class.” Trump also tried to garner backing from the Teamsters last month, ABC News reported, noting the former president told the union it would have “a seat at the table” if he received an endorsement.

Further Reading

Biden Becomes 1st U.S. President On Picket Line—But Autoworkers Still Haven’t Endorsed Him (Forbes)

‘Not Beholden To Any Party’: Here’s Why Teamsters Union Boss Sean O’Brien Spoke At RNC (Forbes)