Firefighters union snubs Kamala Harris on presidential endorsement after backing Biden in 2020

Thu Oct 03 2024
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Vice President Kamala Harris suffered another labor-related blow Thursday as the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), which endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, decided not to back a candidate for the 2024 election. This follows a similar move from the Teamsters union, who also bucked tradition by refusing to endorse Harris.

Key Details:

• The union, representing over 300,000 career firefighters and emergency responders, chose not to endorse a candidate, citing the need to "preserve and strengthen our unity." IAFF General President Edward Kelly emphasized that this decision allows the union to "better advocate for our members and make progress on the issues that matter most to them."
  
• The decision, which follows a similar move by the Teamsters union, dealt a setback to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. Harris’ campaign has relied heavily on union support, especially in critical swing states like Pennsylvania, but the IAFF’s stance reflects growing input from its membership.
  
• Both vice presidential candidates, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, addressed IAFF members during their August convention, as the union leadership considered its endorsement options. Ultimately, the Executive Board voted against endorsing any candidate by a margin of just 1.2%.
  

Diving Deeper:

In a blow to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) decided against endorsing a candidate in the 2024 presidential race. This decision, first reported by POLITICO, comes just weeks after the Teamsters union made a similar move, signaling continued challenges for Harris, who has been relying on organized labor support to boost her appeal to working-class voters, especially in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

IAFF General President Edward Kelly shared the union’s rationale, revealing that the decision came after significant member input. "The IAFF Executive Board determined that we are better able to advocate for our members and make progress on the issues that matter to them if we, as a union, are standing shoulder-to-shoulder," Kelly stated. This decision was made by a slim margin of 1.2%, reflecting the union's internal divisions on the best path forward.

The IAFF's move marks a significant shift, as the union had been the first to endorse Joe Biden in 2019. At the time, the endorsement was partly due to Biden's long-standing ties to the IAFF and its then-leader Harold Schaitberger. Schaitberger, who stepped down in 2021, had also steered the IAFF toward endorsing Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, but that effort was later abandoned amid concerns about membership backlash. The IAFF’s non-endorsement in 2024 signals a shift in the union’s approach, with more direct input from its members compared to the more centralized decision-making processes in the past.

The Harris campaign was banking on union endorsements to strengthen its appeal to the working class, but the recent decisions by the Teamsters and the IAFF have raised concerns within her camp. Some Harris supporters fear that these decisions could open the door for former President Donald Trump to make further inroads with union voters—a group that has traditionally leaned Democratic but has shown increasing support for Trump in recent years.

Both vice presidential candidates—Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance—spoke at the IAFF's August convention in Boston as the union’s leadership weighed its options. Walz and Vance presented their cases to IAFF members, but the union ultimately decided not to back either candidate at this time. This is a particularly significant decision given the timing, as votes are already being cast in several states.

The announcement comes at a challenging moment for the Biden administration, which is also dealing with a significant labor dispute involving the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). The ILA went on strike earlier this week, halting operations at key ports along the East and Gulf coasts and causing significant economic disruptions. Business groups are pushing the Biden administration to invoke emergency powers to halt the strike, but the White House has so far resisted, urging the employers’ trade group to negotiate a better deal for workers instead.