Oct. 4 (UPI) — The International Association of Fire Fighters will not endorse a presidential candidate, the group announced Thursday. The move is seen as especially damaging to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, as the group endorsed President Joe Biden four years ago.
The group’s executive board voted on Thursday by a margin of 1.2% not to endorse a candidate, union president Edward Kelly said.
He added that by not endorsing either former President Donald Trump or Harris, the union “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. This decision, which we took very seriously, is the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity,” Kelly continued in his statement.
“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.”
The union represents more than 350,000 firefighters, emergency personnel and rescue workers throughout the United States and Canada.
It was quick to endorse Biden in his 2020 race against Trump and campaigned on his behalf. For his part, Trump blasted the union after it supported Biden.
“The Dues Sucking firefighters leadership will always support Democrats, even though the membership wants me,” Trump wrote on Twitter, now called X, during the previous election cycle. “Some things never change!”
Trump called the union’s move not to endorse a candidate this year “another crushing blow to Kamala.”