JUST IN: Trump Pacing For Historic Victory Among Longtime Democrat Voting Bloc
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, the first union leader in its 121-year history to address the Republican National Convention, released stunning polling data from inside the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in a public release on Wednesday.
The Teamsters, one of the nation’s largest unions, have historically aligned with Democrat candidates, making this development particularly interesting. “We’ve done some research-based polling that we will be presenting to the general executive board, all three of those polling models, on Wednesday. And then we’ll deliberate, and a decision will be made then,” O’Brien said on Monday according to The Hill.
“We don’t just represent registered Democrats, we represent registered Republicans and independents, so we have to take [that] into consideration,” he continued. The Teamsters Union, officially known as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), is one of North America’s largest and most influential labor unions.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters initially represented horse team drivers and warehouse workers, but today their membership extends across diverse industries from freight, warehouse, and healthcare workers to public employees. The union boasts a membership of over 1.4 million, making it a powerful force in labor negotiations and political advocacy. The Teamsters are known for their efforts to improve working conditions, wages, and benefits for their members. They have been at the forefront of significant labor movements and have played a pivotal role in shaping labor laws and policies in the United States. Their political influence is notable, often endorsing and supporting candidates who pledge to defend labor rights.
The union engaged in roundtable discussions with former President Trump in January and Joe Biden in March. Inquiring about the differences between the discussions held with Vice President Harris and Biden, O’Brien said, “There wasn’t a whole lot of difference.”
Looking ahead, an endorsement for Trump would be a substantial shift from the usual Democrat voter bloc. According to survey data released by the union on Wednesday, Trump has a substantial lead over Harris among Teamsters members, as the union deliberates its endorsement in the presidential race. The electronic poll showed that nearly 60 percent of participating members favored Trump, while 34 percent supported Harris. A concurrent phone survey echoed these results, with Trump receiving 58 percent of the support compared to Harris’s 31 percent.
During his speech at the Republican convention, O’Brien referred to Trump as “one tough SOB.”
The Teamsters Union, with its substantial membership and significant political influence, has strategically endorsed presidential candidates during election cycles. In 2016, the union notably withheld its endorsement during the primaries, a departure from its usual practice, reflecting a cautious approach amid a polarized political environment. Ultimately, they endorsed Hillary Clinton in the general election, despite some rank-and-file members showing support for Donald Trump due to his populist economic rhetoric. In the 2020 election, the Teamsters endorsed Joe Biden.
