Firefighters union won’t endorse a presidential candidate

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The International Association of Fire Fighters announced on Thursday that it would not be endorsing a candidate for president this year.

The news is a particular blow to Vice President Kamala Harris, since the union was the first to endorse Joe Biden's presidential bid in 2020.

In a statement, Edward A. Kelly, the union's president, said that the group's executive board voted on Thursday by 1.2% not to endorse.

He added that the 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. This decision, which we took very seriously, is the best way to preserve and strengthen our unity."

The union represents over 350,000 firefighters, emergency medical workers and rescue workers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Both presidential campaigns made personal appeals to the union’s members at a convention in Boston in August, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio speaking at the event.

Harris also addressed union members during a separate IAFF legislative conference in Washington, D.C., in March, before Biden dropped out of the race.

Although the union came out quickly in backing Biden in 2020, four years earlier, the IAFF also chose not to get involved in the presidential race.

Meanwhile, the police unions have gone full MAGA.

I wonder why...

All the defund the police stuff makes them think they have some legitimacy as MAGAs, as for firefighters - they attract a particular "kind" like the military and police. Don't need to spell it out

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/opin ... ments.html