For the first time since 1996, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the most powerful labor unions in the United States, will not endorse a candidate in the presidential race. The union that represents approximately 1.3 million workers throughout the United States and Canada has released a statement to say neither Democratic nominee Kamala Harris nor Republican nominee Donald Trump has made meaningful commitments to some of the most important issues facing the Teamsters.
It also said that internal polling showed no clear support for either candidate, though recent surveys showed a tilt in favor of Trump. As such, this decision is considered a setback for Harris, who seeks to garner the backing of working-class voters as the election nears in under 50 days.
An endorsement from the Teamsters might have mobilized hundreds of thousands of union members in key swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The national union’s neutrality did not preclude regional councils representing more than 500,000 Teamsters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and California from announcing that they backed Harris.
The Harris campaign immediately reacted, touting its wide-ranging backing from the labor movement and noting that many local Teamsters chapters have lined up behind her. Campaign spokesman Lauren Hitt said, “While Trump has spent his career criticizing striking workers, Kamala Harris has been a lifelong supporter of organized labor, literally joining picket lines throughout her career.
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