A number of Democrats responded in a single day to information that the Teamsters, below Basic President Sean O’Brien, determined towards issuing a presidential endorsement.
“Sadly, neither main candidate was capable of make critical commitments to our union to make sure the pursuits of working individuals are all the time put earlier than massive enterprise,” O’Brien mentioned in a press release.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. who, like O’Brien, hails from the Boston space, known as former President Donald Trump the “most anti-labor president we’ve ever had.”
“It’s clear that these staff are misinformed or uninformed about Trump’s file on labor,” McGovern informed the Washington Instances. “His allegiance isn’t towards working individuals.”
McGovern, the highest Democrat on the Home Guidelines Committee, mentioned it’s apparent that Trump helps “wealthy individuals” over the working class.
The Teamsters haven’t made a non-endorsement because the 1996 contest between former President Invoice Clinton and Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan. Their final GOP endorsement went to former President George H.W. Bush over then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988.
In the meantime, Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., tweeted that Harris had forged the tie-breaking Senate vote to “defend Teamsters pensions.”
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Horsford shared that Nevada’s Teamsters councils had bucked the nationwide group and independently endorsed Harris.
“She’s preventing for us,” Horsford mentioned.
Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., echoed Horsford, saying the Silver State’s Teamsters “know that Kamala Harris is a fighter for our union staff.”
“I discovered it from my father who was a Teamster in Las Vegas: after we stand collectively, we win,” Cortez-Masto mentioned.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the previous Home speaker, in the meantime, known as the Teamsters’ choice “disappointing.”
“Donald Trump refused to assist a pension invoice for Teamsters. It was Biden-Harris and Democrats who saved Teamsters pensions within the Butch Lewis Act of our American Rescue Plan — with out one Republican vote,” she mentioned on X, previously Twitter.
Trump, nonetheless, known as the non-endorsement of Harris a “nice honor” for him.
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“They’re not going to endorse the Democrats. That’s an enormous factor,” Trump mentioned whereas campaigning in New York Metropolis. The GOP nominee added that the inner Teamsters vote confirmed about 60% of nationwide membership assist his bid.
A number one progressive in Congress, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, known as the non-endorsement “unlucky” whereas including that the Evergreen State’s sub-council nonetheless helps Harris.
“I believe you’re going to see extra of that throughout the nation,” she informed the Instances.
In a extra direct shot at O’Brien, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., claimed the nationwide chief has been “boosting Republicans all yr whereas supporting anti-worker, anti-choice Senate candidates.”
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O’Brien has reportedly reached out to some Republican lawmakers, like Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. And JD Vance, R-Ohio, per the BBC, nevertheless it was the Sheet Metallic, Air, Rail & Transportation union that just lately gave the conservatives their endorsement.
Two U.S. Senate candidates whom the union did endorse, nonetheless, are Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.
A spokesman for Harris’ marketing campaign mentioned in a press release reported by a number of shops that Trump believes placing staff needs to be fired, whereas Harris “actually walked the picket line.”
“The Vice President’s sturdy union file is why Teamsters locals throughout the nation have already endorsed her — alongside the overwhelming majority of organized labor,” Lauren Hitt mentioned.
In that regard, a council representing 35,000 Teamsters in the important thing swing state of Pennsylvania ignored O’Brien’s non-endorsement and threw their weight behind Harris.
The board of Teamsters Joint Council 40, overlaying Pittsburgh, Erie, State Faculty and Washington, held a separate vote, the place they unanimously chosen Harris.
“She is the perfect for our locals and finest for our unions,” council president Carl Bailey informed the Pittsburgh Tribune-Assessment.
O’Brien has additionally not been afraid to tussle with Republicans, as he and Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., practically got here to blows throughout a 2023 listening to during which Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., needed to intervene as Mullin rose from his chair — after the boys informed one another to “stand your butt up.”