It looks like the Democrats just got hit with another major curveball.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), a union that proudly endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, has decided to sit this one out in the 2024 presidential race. That’s right, one of the most loyal pro-Democrat unions is officially saying “No thanks” to endorsing anyone this time around. Ouch.
By a razor-thin margin—just 1.2 percentage points—the IAFF executive board voted to not back either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. Let’s break this down: this is the same union that couldn’t wait to endorse Joe Biden last time around, throwing their weight behind him early in April 2019 when the Democratic primary wasn’t even fully underway. Now, they’ve decided that staying “neutral” is the best path forward. Translation: they can’t stomach endorsing Kamala Harris.
A statement from @IAFFPresident following today’s IAFF Executive Board meeting pic.twitter.com/D6K6eQFrF7
— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFofficial) October 3, 2024
IAFF President Edward Kelly tried to put a nice spin on it, talking about how the union took “unprecedented steps” to listen to its members’ concerns and decided the best way to stay united was to not endorse anybody. But make no mistake, this is a huge shift for the union. They were Biden’s ride-or-die in 2020, and now, with Harris on the ticket, they’ve decided it’s better to avoid picking a side altogether.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a major union make a break from their usual Democratic loyalty. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters also threw a wrench into the Democrats’ plans by refusing to endorse anyone. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien even showed up at the Republican National Convention, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. While he’s still waiting for Harris to meet with the union (don’t hold your breath), it’s clear the Teamsters aren’t exactly thrilled with what the Democrats have to offer. Internal polling shows why: an overwhelming 58% of Teamsters members support Trump, while Harris trails way behind with just 31%.
Remember, these are unions that enthusiastically backed Biden in 2020. The Teamsters and IAFF were all in for the guy, and now they can’t even rally behind his successor. The Democrats love to paint themselves as the champions of the working class, but it’s clear that the blue-collar workers they claim to represent aren’t feeling the love. Harris and her team are going to have to do some serious damage control if they want to win back these critical voters.
BREAKING: The International Association of Fire Fighters just followed the Teamsters’ example by NOT endorsing Kamala Harris even though they endorsed Biden in 2020. The Union has over 344,000 firefighters across the country
This is an UNPRECEDENTED WIN FOR TRUMP!
“Today, the… pic.twitter.com/GQj9QVJRWw
— George (@BehizyTweets) October 3, 2024
But here’s the reality: Kamala Harris has an enthusiasm problem, and it’s spreading. The very groups that were once key to Democratic victories are now either sitting on the fence or outright shifting toward Trump. If the Democrats keep losing support from their traditional allies, they’re going to have a hard time convincing anyone that they’ve got the working class on their side.
So here we are: the unions are bailing, and the Democrats are left scrambling. Meanwhile, Trump continues to gain ground. What’s next? Well, unless Harris pulls off a miracle, it’s not looking good for the Democratic ticket.
