The AFL-CIO will not be endorsing anybody in the Democratic presidential primary, at least not yet, a blow to former first lady Hillary Clinton, who had secured most endorsements by organized labor until now.
The Huffington Post reported Wednesday afternoon that AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told members of the federation’s executive council in an email that no vote would be held on the matter at next week’s winter convention in San Diego.
“Following recent discussion at the AFL-CIO’s Executive Committee meeting and subsequent conversations with many of you, I have concluded that there is broad consensus for the AFL-CIO to remain neutral in the presidential primaries for the time being and refrain from endorsing any candidate at this moment,” Mr. Trumka wrote.
Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont has surged in polls in recent months and now runs competitively with the longtime presumed nominee Mrs. Clinton nationwide. Many unions endorsed Mrs. Clinton early despite long-held organized-labor suspicions over her Wall Street ties and her long record of support for free-trade deals.
Mr. Sanders, a self-described socialist, has appealed to economic populism and vowed major income redistribution to build support from apparent irrelevance into a major threat to Mrs. Clinton.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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