CNN
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Wednesday declined to endorse a presidential candidate after releasing an internal poll that showed a majority of its members backed former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.
It is the first time in nearly three decades that the union has not endorsed a presidential candidate.
“Unfortunately, neither major candidate has been able to make serious commitments to our union to ensure that the interests of working people are always put before big business,” Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “We sought commitments from both Trump and Harris not to interfere with important union campaigns or key Teamsters businesses — and to respect our members’ right to strike — but were unable to obtain those commitments.”
Before the end, the Teamsters Internal data is shared It shows that a majority of members supported Trump over Harris. According to an electronic membership poll launched after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, about 60% of members believed the union should support Trump, while 34% supported Harris. 6% said they would support another candidate.
“It’s a big honor. They’re not going to support the Democrats. That’s a big deal,” Trump said during a campaign stop in New York City on Wednesday. Great respect.
Harris met with Teamsters leaders on Monday. O’Brien had a prime-time speaking slot at this summer’s Republican National Convention, but did not appear at the Democratic convention next month.
The Teamsters, which represents truck drivers, freight workers and other workers, was the last major labor union to announce a presidential endorsement. Other major labor organizations in the country, including the American Federation of Teachers and the United Auto Workers, have endorsed Harris.
The last time the Teamsters sat in a presidential election was in 1996. It has endorsed Democratic candidates in six elections, including Trump’s opponents Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020. The union last endorsed a Republican presidential candidate in 1988. George HW Bush.
CNN previously reported that while major labor leaders have backed Harris, rank-and-file union members have large pockets of Trump support.
Before Biden dropped out of the race, Teamsters officials suggested to various stakeholders that they could be politically neutral this cycle for the first time in decades.
“At the end of the day, teammates aren’t interested if you have a “D,” “R” or “I” next to your name. We want to know something,” O’Brien said at the RNC. “What are you doing to help American workers?”
An endorsement by the Teamsters, which counts members across a variety of professions and is heavily represented in key swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — all of which went to Trump in 2016 before backing Biden four years later — would have been crucial. Available to any candidate.
The Teamsters’ internal data also revealed that a town hall straw poll taken before Biden dropped out of the race showed him with 44% of members’ support, compared to 36% for Trump. Robert F. received support from 6% of members in that poll. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.
Meanwhile, the head of the Teamsters National Black Caucus questioned the union’s decision to withhold an endorsement in the 2024 presidential race and suggested O’Brien was afraid to have “difficult conversations” with members.
“I’m not going to waste my disappointment that my national leadership doesn’t have the guts and courage to stand up to this bully, I can go out and say to our entire membership, this is the best thing for you. members,” James “Curb” Curbeam, a member of Teamsters Local 480 in Nashville, said, referring to Trump.
He also questioned the voting system used to support the union’s decision.
“What was the actual number of people who participated in the poll?” Garbhim asked.
Garbeam said the Black Caucus will do its own organizing to support Harris.
The Teamsters’ endorsements of Clinton and Biden in the past two presidential cycles came under the previous leadership. While union members are traditionally considered a Democratic voting bloc, Trump has been working to make inroads among rank-and-file members.
Biden has long enjoyed strong union support. The first sitting president to visit the picket line last September often used some version of the line “The middle class made America, the unions made the middle class” in many of his stump speeches during his candidacy. Harris has also started using that line.
But Harris doesn’t have the same long history as president with unions and working people.
His running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walls, is a former union member who was a public school teacher.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Eva McKend, Aaron Pellish and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
