Democrats Worry Lack of Teamsters Endorsement Could Weaken Hold on Key Rust Belt States

The Teamsters union’s decision not to endorse Kamala Harris has raised concerns among Democrats about the potential crumbling of their “blue wall” in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Democratic Party is facing a growing concern over the future of its stronghold in the Rust Belt states after the Teamsters union, one of the most influential labor groups in the U.S., decided not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in her 2024 presidential campaign. The lack of support from the union is being seen as a potential warning sign for Democrats as they try to maintain their grip on Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania—key states that make up the “blue wall.”

In 2016, former President Donald Trump shocked the political establishment by flipping these three states, which had consistently voted Democrat since 1992. While President Joe Biden managed to regain those states in 2020, the absence of the Teamsters’ endorsement for Harris is raising questions about the Democratic Party’s hold on working-class voters. According to Politico, internal polling from the Teamsters revealed that many union members, particularly men, are leaning towards Trump, even though some Teamsters locals in battleground states have broken from the national organization and endorsed Harris.

“Trump has a solid, solid base of working-class people that have bought into his message,” said Jimmy Williams, president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, a union that has endorsed Harris. “It’s movable and it’s been moving. But it’s not like some tide that’s turned.”

Union voters, especially older white, working-class individuals, could be pivotal in deciding who wins the Rust Belt states. These voters have been hard-hit by inflation, and Democrats worry Harris has not sufficiently reached out to them, or aggressively attacked Trump over his past comments regarding cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Some Democrats even fear that Harris could face a similar fate as Hillary Clinton, who lost these states in 2016 despite leading in the polls.

A union official backing Harris told Politico the situation gave him “HRC flashbacks,” referring to Clinton’s unexpected loss of the “blue wall.” Concerns have also emerged that Harris remains largely unknown to the older white voters who are vital in these states.

Harris’ Communications Director, Brian Fallon, pointed out that some Teamsters councils and locals in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have endorsed Harris, expressing optimism about her ability to improve her standing with working-class voters. “I think that it’s quite possible that by the end of this election cycle that she’ll be more trusted than Trump on handling the economy,” Fallon said.

Former Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) is hopeful that the endorsement of Harris by the United Auto Workers will help her carry Michigan. “Working-class people, in general, I think will definitely determine the election, and I think that we’re going to duke it out right to the end,” Levin said in an interview with Politico.

Despite this, Bill Carroll, president of Teamsters Joint Council 39 in Wisconsin, admitted he was “shocked” to see the level of support for Trump among Teamsters members. “Maybe we haven’t conveyed the importance of good labor policy, federally, and what that means for our members,” Carroll said. “We need to find a way to show them the bigger picture.”

With the 2024 election approaching, the Democrats face an uphill battle to maintain their control of the Rust Belt. The reluctance of key unions like the Teamsters to back Harris may suggest shifting allegiances that could determine the outcome in these critical states.