SACRAMENTO, California — California Democratic leaders have given the state’s firefighters seven military transport planes, better working hours and expanded ranks. Yet the firefighters are having as much trouble as many other union members in deciding whom to back for president.
California’s main firefighters union is still making up its mind after the International Association of Fire Fighters decided last week not to endorse a presidential candidate, despite being the first union to endorse Joe Biden in 2019.
California Professional Firefighters, as the state chapter of IAFF is known, are likely to go the way of the West Coast Teamsters, who broke last month with their national chapter in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. That’s partly due to former President Donald Trump’s recent alienation of first responders by threatening to hold California’s emergency disaster funds hostage.
“He would rather watch our state burn in the name of his political games than to send help if he were to become president again,” CPF President Brian Rice said at the time.
