Michigan Firefighters Union Makes Announcement After National Organization Decision
Kamala Harris’s campaign is hitting major roadblocks with unions and working-class voters, casting a shadow over her chances as the election looms.
In what’s being viewed as a significant political misstep, Harris failed to secure endorsements from two powerful unions: the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), both representing over 300,000 first responders each. While Joe Biden had the backing of these unions in 2020, nearly 60% of their members are now leaning toward Donald Trump.
The absence of an endorsement from the IAFF came as a particularly hard blow for Harris, as her team had organized a campaign event at a firehouse, anticipating their support. However, despite ten days of discussions, the Michigan firefighters union opted to align with the IAFF’s national nonendorsement stance, frustrating Harris’s campaign officials.
Matt Sahr, head of the Michigan firefighters union, did say that while they believe Harris is the best candidate on labor issues, they will follow the IAFF’s lead and withhold a formal endorsement.
This setback illustrates a broader trend: Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, are struggling to win over key union members, particularly from industrial and male-dominated sectors. The realignment of working-class voters—historically a Democratic stronghold—away from the party has intensified, leaving Harris’s team scrambling for solutions.
During a recent internal call, IAFF General President Edward Kelly urged state unions not to issue their own endorsements, fearing that any endorsement against Harris in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Arizona could damage her prospects even further.
Adios Michigan.
She doesn’t have the rank-and-file of the UAW, either. https://t.co/CeH0wIntMf
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) October 15, 2024
The situation becomes more precarious when considering that union rank-and-file members, including those in the United Auto Workers (UAW), are showing stronger support for Trump despite leadership’s backing of Biden and Harris. UAW President Shawn Fain admitted earlier this year that many of the union’s members were favoring Trump, further underscoring the challenge Harris faces with blue-collar voters.
As the election enters its final stretch, Harris’s lack of a clear and resonant economic message has hampered her ability to connect with working-class, black, Latino, and Jewish voters. This, coupled with her inability to distance herself from Biden’s policies, leaves little time to regain momentum.