Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Teamsters President Sean O'Brien engaged in a heated exchange following the union's decision not to endorse Vice President Harris or former President Trump in the presidential election.
The International Truck Drivers Union (ITP) has decided not to endorse in an election for the first time since 1996 and only the third time since 1960, The Hill reported Wednesday.
O'Brien told The Hill that the union did not endorse Harris or former President Trump because “neither candidate addressed the core issues that need to be addressed on behalf of our members.”
in CNN interview On Thursday, anchor Dana Bash questioned O'Brien about Ocasio-Cortez's comments, in which she said unions like the Teamsters rely on Democrats to get certain policies accomplished.
A video of Ocasio-Cortez speaking with CNN's Manu Raju is played in which she can be seen saying, “When the Teamsters are in trouble, who do you call?”
“Sean O'Brien has asked Democrats for help,” Ocasio-Corte added.
She also Posts “Sean O'Brien has been boosting the Republican Party all year while supporting anti-worker, anti-choice Senate candidates,” he said yesterday on X.
In response, O'Brien told Bash that Ocasio-Cortez should focus on her own district.
“Maybe she should go to a district where far-right Republicans voted,” O'Brien said in an interview with CNN's Dana Bash. Posts It was posted by the pro-Trump account X on Thursday.
Bash quickly questioned what O'Brien meant when he said Ocasio-Cortez voted for “far-right Republicans” in her district, asking if he meant voting among the Teamsters.
“Our polling shows that in her district, New York, Republicans overwhelmingly supported former President Trump,” O'Brien said.
Bash said that if polls were accurate, roughly 60% of Teamsters members would support Trump over Harris.
Ocasio-Cortez Responded She accompanied the post from the pro-Trump X account with a press release issued Thursday by her district's local Teamsters union endorsing candidate Harris-Waltz.
“The Teamsters of New York's 14th District, as referenced herein, did in fact vote overwhelmingly in support of Harris-Waltz,” she wrote in her response.
“So let's get the facts straight: Teamsters Local 202 fully supports Ms. Harris,” she added in the post.
Other local unions in key battleground states have also endorsed Harris. In Michigan, Teamsters Joint Council No. 43 has endorsed the Democratic candidate.
“Michigan Teamsters President Kevin Moore and the Executive Committee, on behalf of our 245,000 active and retired Teamsters, enthusiastically support Harris Walz's campaign,” Kevin D. Moore, chairman of Michigan Teamsters Joint Council No. 43, said Wednesday.In a Facebook post.
Another union, Teamsters Joint Council 42, represents 23 local chapters. Harris also endorsed it.
“The 300,000 Teamsters working in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam are the bedrock of America's economy, producing and transporting goods as well as providing essential services across the private and public sectors,” Joint Council 42 Chairman Chris Griswold said in the post.Facebook Page“They deserve a committed administration that will relentlessly defend their rights, ensure their safety and prioritize the needs of workers.”
