Largest Union in U.S. Just Made Its 2024 Endorsement: Declines to Support Democrats, 1st Time in Decades
By Jon Brenner|September 20, 2024
Largest Union in U.S. Just Made Its 2024 Endorsement: Declines to Support Democrats, 1st Time in Decades

In 2024, where everything is upside down in politics, here’s another twist that’ll make you shake your head: the Teamsters Union, America’s largest union, has decided not to endorse any candidate for president. That’s right—after three decades of backing Democrats in every presidential election, this time around, they’re sitting on the sidelines. You’d think, given their history, they’d be quick to rally behind Kamala Harris. But no, not this time. And what’s even more shocking? Their own members overwhelmingly support Donald Trump.

But instead of reflecting the will of their members, the Teamsters’ leadership is playing it safe and staying neutral. Or, to put it another way, they’re choosing not to upset the political establishment they’ve cozied up to for years. It’s one thing to support your workers and stand up for what they believe in, but this move shows exactly what’s wrong with today’s labor unions—two different sets of rules for different candidates.

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien seems determined to walk the tightrope of political correctness. He’s not willing to endorse Trump, despite the fact that the vast majority of his members back the former president over Kamala Harris. But get this—he also won’t endorse Harris because she lacks majority support. So, where does that leave the union? Nowhere. And that’s exactly the problem.

Teamsters Poll Shows Strong Support for Trump

Let’s dig into the numbers that the Teamsters themselves released. You’d think that internal polling showing a clear preference for Trump would be enough for the union to make a bold decision, right? Nope.

From Fox News:
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Wednesday announced it will not endorse a candidate for president, despite releasing internal polling showing a majority of the union’s membership supports former President Trump.

Ahead of the announcement, the Teamsters posted the results of its own polling on the 2024 candidates. It showed that in an online survey, the union’s members favored Trump by 59.6% over Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, who received 34%. In a phone survey, Teamsters favored Trump over Harris, 58% to 31%.

So, let’s get this straight: nearly 60% of Teamsters want Trump, and less than 35% want Harris. Yet, despite these overwhelming numbers, the union won’t throw its weight behind Trump because it doesn’t have “universal support”? The leadership is trying to cover up the fact that they’re not willing to cross the Democrat establishment, even when their own members are telling them they want a different direction.

Two Sets of Rules for Endorsements

Here’s where the double standard comes in. Union President Sean O’Brien made it clear that Harris doesn’t have majority support, which is why they won’t endorse her. Fair enough. But the union is also refusing to endorse Trump unless he has “universal support” from the membership. When was the last time you saw any candidate, let alone a presidential one, get universal support from any group? This is just an excuse to stay neutral and avoid rocking the political boat.

From Fox News:

In explaining the reasoning for declining to endorse a 2024 presidential candidate on Wednesday, the union said in a statement, “The union’s extensive member polling showed no majority support for Vice President Harris and no universal support among the membership for President Trump.”

It’s almost laughable—Harris can’t get the majority, so she’s out. Trump has a clear majority, but it’s not universal, so he’s out too. What does that leave? It leaves the leadership taking the easy way out, pretending that staying neutral is somehow a noble stance. But we all know what’s really happening here. They don’t want to cross their Democratic buddies, but they also don’t want to face backlash from their own members for backing a candidate they don’t believe in.

Trump’s Appeal to Working-Class America

The truth is, Trump’s appeal to the working-class voters, especially union members, has been undeniable since his first campaign in 2016. He’s the candidate who actually talked about bringing jobs back to the U.S., renegotiating trade deals, and standing up for American workers. Compare that to Kamala Harris, who’s spent more time pushing woke agendas and talking about “equity” than addressing the real concerns of blue-collar workers.

Teamsters members see the difference, and that’s why they’re backing Trump. He’s the one who fights for their jobs, their paychecks, and their way of life. Meanwhile, Harris and the Democrats are busy pushing policies that hurt working families, from anti-energy regulations to supporting open borders, which drive wages down for American workers.

But apparently, the Teamsters leadership didn’t get the memo—or more likely, they just don’t care. Their neutrality in this election is a slap in the face to their members, who’ve made it crystal clear they want Trump. Instead of standing up for their workers, the leadership is more concerned with staying in the good graces of the political elites.

Union Leadership Fails Its Members Again

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen union leadership go against the will of their own members, and it certainly won’t be the last. But this moment shines a spotlight on how out of touch union leaders have become. Their members—real, hardworking Americans—want a president who will fight for them, not one who panders to the far-left extremes of the Democratic Party. And yet, here we are, with leadership too afraid to take a stand for fear of losing their place at the table with the DNC.

What the Teamsters leadership fails to realize is that neutrality is still a choice. By refusing to endorse Trump, despite overwhelming support from their members, they’re choosing to maintain the status quo, where union bosses get their perks and political clout while the workers they claim to represent are left behind.

Key Takeaways:

  • Despite strong support for Trump among Teamsters members, the union refuses to endorse a candidate for president.
  • Trump received nearly 60% support from the union’s membership, while Harris trailed far behind at just over 30%.
  • Union leadership is applying double standards, requiring universal support for Trump but only majority support for Harris.

Source: Fox News

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Jon Brenner
Patriot Journal's Managing Editor has followed politics since he was a kid, with Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush as his role models. He hopes to see America return to limited government and the founding principles that made it the greatest nation in history.
Patriot Journal's Managing Editor has followed politics since he was a kid, with Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush as his role models. He hopes to see America return to limited government and the founding principles that made it the greatest nation in history.