(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The influential firefighter union that once backed President Joe Biden refused to endorse his successor, Vice President Kamala, for the 2024 election.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) announced Thursday it would not endorse any candidate in 2024 after a narrow vote, with the membership rejecting an endorsement by just 1.2 percentage points.
“Over the past year, the IAFF took unprecedented steps to hear our members’ views on the candidates and the policy issues that matter most to them,” IAFF President Edward Kelly said in a statement.
“The IAFF Executive Board determined that we are better able to advocate for our members and make progress on the issues that matter to them if we, as a union, are standing shoulder-to-shoulder,” Kelly added.
A statement from @IAFFPresident following today's IAFF Executive Board meeting pic.twitter.com/D6K6eQFrF7
— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFofficial) October 3, 2024
The union boss affirmed that the decision was “the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity.” This refusal to endorse contrasts sharply with the union’s strong backing of Biden in 2020.
The IAFF became an early supporter of Biden, throwing its weight behind the then-former vice president in April 2019—two years ahead of the election.
As reported by The Hill, Biden attended the union’s 2023 legislative conference, where he declared, “I have your back.”
The IAFF has endorsed Democrats in most elections since 1984 but declined to endorse in 2016 when Donald Trump won the presidency, many critics suggested.
IAFF endorsement history:
1984: Mondale
1988: Dukakis
1992: Clinton
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Kerry
2008: Obama
2012: Obama
2016: No one
2020: Biden
2024: No one https://t.co/23dcVjof4K— Steve Morris (@stevemorris__) October 3, 2024
IAFF is the second major union to withhold its endorsement for 2024 after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters took a similar stance, dealing a crushing blow to Harris’s presidential hopes.
Harris quickly became the target of mockery on social media after the IAFF delivered its damning snub.
Remember when Kamala's campaign mocked JD Vance because a few people booed him at the International Association of Firefighter's conference?
The IAFF voted today to not endorse a candidate in the election after being the first labor union to endorse Biden in 2020. https://t.co/WNMamOt1bx pic.twitter.com/uzkdYwXikP
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 3, 2024
🇺🇸 MAJOR UNION REFUSES TO ENDORSE KAMALA IN 2024 RACE
In a blow to the Harris campaign, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) announced it would not endorse any 2024 presidential candidate.
The decision follows the Teamsters' similar move, reflecting growing… pic.twitter.com/mn3QIqjC2E
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 4, 2024
