Teamsters won’t endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a presidential candidate on Wednesday after releasing internal polling that showed a majority of its members supported former President Donald Trump.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a presidential candidate on Wednesday after releasing internal polling that showed a majority of its members supported former President Donald Trump. It’s the first time in nearly three decades that the union has not endorsed a presidential candidate. The decision from the union comes after its board and president, Sean O’Brien, met with both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. O’Brien also spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, though his speech largely shied away from partisan politics. He said he asked both major parties for a speaking slot at their convention but only the Republicans accepted. “At the end of the day, the Teamsters are not interested if you have a “D,” “R” or an “I” next to your name. We want to know one thing,” O’Brien said at the RNC. “What are you doing to help American workers?” Harris has already earned the endorsement of other major unions, including the American Federation of Teachers and United Auto Workers. But an endorsement from the Teamsters, which counts 1.3 million members across a variety of industries and is heavily represented in critical swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – all of which went for Trump in 2016 before backing Joe Biden four years later – would have been a crucial get for either candidate, though it doesn’t mean its members would vote in lockstep with the union’s wishes. Ahead of their decision, the Teamsters shared internal data showing that a majority of members supported Trump over Harris. According to an electronic member poll that was initiated after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, about 60% of members believed the union should endorse Trump while 34% supported Harris. About 6% said they supported another candidate.