The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), a labor union representing over 300,000 firefighters and emergency responders in the United States, announced on October 3 that they would not endorse a candidate in the upcoming presidential race. This decision comes after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters also decided not to endorse a presidential candidate two weeks prior.
IAFF General President Edward Kelly stated that after extensive input from members on the candidates and key policy issues, the union opted not to endorse either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris by a slim margin of 1.2 percent. Kelly emphasized that the IAFF will continue its mission of advocating for its members and addressing important issues affecting them.
While the IAFF refrained from endorsing a candidate, they encouraged their members to participate in the upcoming election and make their voices heard. Both vice presidential candidates, Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, presented their visions for the fire service at the union’s annual convention in Boston.
Harris had also addressed the IAFF during a legislative conference in Washington earlier in the year, before President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. The IAFF had endorsed Biden’s campaign in 2020, while Harris received endorsements from other unions.
In response to the IAFF’s decision, the Trump campaign expressed that it was a setback for Harris and Walz, as it was the second high-profile union to not endorse Harris in recent weeks. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters had also chosen not to endorse a presidential candidate the previous month, citing a lack of commitments from the major candidates to prioritize working people over big business.
This marks the first time since 1966 that the Teamsters have refrained from issuing a presidential endorsement, highlighting the significance of the IAFF and Teamsters’ decisions in the current political landscape. Please rewrite the following sentence:
Original: “The cat quickly ran across the room and jumped onto the couch.”
Rewritten: “The feline swiftly dashed through the room and leaped onto the sofa.”
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