Teamsters President Discusses No Endorsement Decision

Teamsters President on No Endorsement: Uncertainty with Candidates

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien told The Hill that the union did not endorse Vice President Harris or former President Trump because both candidates didn't commit on the core issues that we need to get accomplished on behalf of our members. This is only the third time the union hasn’t endorsed a presidential candidate since 1960, and comes after a closely-watched process that involved roundtables with both candidates, extensive member polling and the first appearance by a Teamsters president on the Republican National Convention stage.

“We're grateful that they came in to see our members, but there was a lot of dancing around a lot of these questions,” O’Brien said.

Key Issues for the Teamsters

• The Teamsters seek the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.
• Opposition to the national right to work is a priority for the union.

While Harris has voiced her support for the PRO Act on the campaign trail, O’Brien stated, “she won’t explain how she’s gonna get it done.”

“We want direct dialogue. We want answers. We don't want, you know, false hopes and dreams masqueraded with rhetoric,” O’Brien asserted.

Political Dynamics and Member Polling

O'Brien has worked to make inroads with Republicans to advance his union's policy priorities, fueling speculation that the union could endorse a GOP presidential candidate again after he spoke at the RNC and the union's PAC donated $45,000 to the Republican National Committee for the first time in two decades.

However, when asked about the 60 percent of his members favoring Trump for endorsement, O’Brien reiterated that “we couldn't get commitments on our issues.”

• “We can advise, but at the end of the day, our job is not to dictate to our members.”
• He stressed that the union's role is to provide information for members to make informed decisions.

Endorsement Process and Member Preferences

O’Brien told reporters that member polling would be a “significant” part of the endorsement process. The results of recent polls highlight a preference among members for Trump over Harris:

1. In a Teamsters-commissioned survey, 59.6 percent voted to endorse Trump, compared to 34 percent for Harris.
2. A separate poll showed 58 percent of members preferred Trump, while 31 percent chose Harris.

Polling done before President Biden dropped out revealed that Teamsters preferred Biden to Trump, 44.3 percent to 36.3 percent.

Major labor unions including the United Auto Workers and the AFL-CIO quickly endorsed Biden and Harris once Biden exited the race. However, O'Brien contested the assumption that the union should automatically support the Democratic candidate. Historically, the Teamsters have supported both Democratic and Republican candidates.