Teamsters Boss Tells CBS Kamala Harris Endorsement is Not Yet in the Bag — Despite Union Having Not Endorsed GOP Candidate Since 1988

The leader of one of America’s largest labor unions — a union which has not backed a Republican for president since 1988 — is suggesting his group’s endorsement is still very much on the table.

Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, Sean O’Brien — president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters — refused to commit to endorsing either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump. Moderator Nancy Cordes quizzed O’Brien about the lack of endorsement to date — while noting that the other 9 largest unions in America are all backing Harris.

“Our union is a lot different than most unions,” O’Brien replied. “We represent 1.3 million members. Half of our members are Republicans, half of our members are Democrats. So we have to serve all of our membership equally.”

Still, historically, an endorsement of a Republican — though not unprecedented — is rare for the Teamsters. The group has endorsed exclusively Democrats dating back to 1988, when it threw its support behind George H.W. Bush. The Teamsters did, however, not endorse either candidate in the 1996 election.

O’Brien said there will be no Teamsters endorsement of Harris until union leadership has an opportunity to meet with her. The vice president’s campaign says it is working with the union to come together on a date for a sit down.

“You don’t hire someone unless you give them an interview,” O’Brien said. “And you know, this is our opportunity to ask her about Teamster specific issues and also labor issues. So until we have that meeting, you know, obviously we will wait to make that determination.”

Later in the CBS interview, Cordes confronted O’Brien about the fact that he was invited to speak at the Republican National Convention in July, but not the Democratic National Convention in August. O’Brien, in response, hinted at some lingering resentment among his membership.

“Whenever I get an opportunity to highlight the American worker, especially the Teamster worker, I’m going to take any and all venue,” O’Brien said. “We asked both conventions, respectively, at the same time, and the Republican National Convention immediately responded to us. Didn’t try and edit any of our messages, and I was hopeful that the Democrats would do the same, but they didn’t. I’m not upset about it, but I can tell you this, my rank and file members, who have been lifelong Democrats, are not happy about it.”

Watch above, via CBS.

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