Teamsters Sour On Democrats, Defer Endorsement

June 8, 2000 9:45 AM, EDT

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters regards political contributions as a business. The union is looking for a presidential candidate that does it the most good, but for now it is resisting endorsing the two major parties’ contenders.

Vice President Al Gore hopes to draw large numbers of voters from the ranks of the Teamsters and other unions to support him and other Democratic candidates, while Texas Gov. George W. Bush is looking to accomplish a similar feat for Republicans in November.

Also, at stake in the national elections are one-third of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 55 to 45 lead over Democrats, and all 435 members of the House, where the GOP also has a 10-member advantage.

While the importance of its 1.3 million members’ influence on a national election can be argued, what cannot be disputed is the distrust the Teamsters has of Congress, corporate America and now Democrats, once considered staunch allies.

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