The Kamala Harris campaign was dealt a stinging loss Wednesday when the Teamsters Union declined to endorse her, breaking with decades of Democratic party tradition.
The union released internal polling that showed Donald Trump leading Harris by double-digits among its members, but the union refrained from endorsing either candidate.
"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 president Sean O'Brien said.
It's the first time the powerful union representing over 1 million workers has remained neutral in a presidential race since 1996. In 2020, the Teamsters Union endorsed Joe Biden for president.
The union's latest polling reflects a drop in the Democratic party's union support since Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the top of the ticket in July.
Trump had 60% support from the union's rank-and-file members, compared to 34% for Harris. For comparison, Biden had led Trump with the Teamsters' members 44%-36%
"The union’s extensive member polling showed no majority support for Vice President Harris and no universal support among the membership for President Trump," O'Brien said.
The Donald Trump campaign has claimed the non-endorsement as a game-changer in what polls suggest will be tight election. States with large number of working-class voters, especially Pennsylvania, will play a decisive role.
"It's a great honor. They're not going to endorse the Democrats. That's a big thing," President Trump told reporters Wednesday before a packed rally in Long Island, New York.
"I think it will. Yeah, I think so. The Teamsters carry a lot of weight," Trump said when asked if the union's move would make a difference.
The Teamsters' president, Sean O'Brien, angered Democrats by giving a speech at the Republican National Convention in July.
“President Trump had the backbone to open the doors to this Republican convention, and that’s unprecedented. No other nominee in the race would’ve invited the Teamsters into this arena,” O’Brien said at the time.
Harris did not invite O'Brien to speak at the Democrats' convention the following month.
The Harris campaign downplayed the Teamsters' snub, while touting Harris' support from other unions and local chapters from the Teamsters who split with the national organization.
"The vice president’s strong union record is why Teamsters locals across the country have already endorsed her — alongside the overwhelming majority of organized labor.
