The dockworkers’ strike is a test for Biden — and complicates an already dizzying 2024 presidential race

The strike throws another wrench into the 2024 race

The strike has the potential to further upend what has already been a dizzying presidential race.

Vice President Kamala Harris is now carrying the banner of the Biden administration’s pro-union policies as the Democratic presidential nominee. But Harris’ union ties are not as deep as those enjoyed by Biden.

Last month, the Teamsters declined to endorse either Harris or Trump in the presidential race, a major blow to Harris’ attempts to consolidate union support. It was the first time since 1996 that the Teamsters did not back a candidate in a presidential election. Trump saw the move as a victory for his campaign, as an electronic poll conducted during part of the summer showed the former president with substantial support among rank-and-file members.

Despite the non-endorsement from the Teamsters executive board, Harris did receive the backing of Teamsters local unions in key battleground states including Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. And Harris has also been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the United Auto Workers, and the United Steelworkers, which puts a considerable amount of union muscle behind her campaign.

But the economic fallout from the dockworker strike throws another wrench into an already tough situation for Democrats.

“It’s going to be a political football where Republicans are already saying that Biden needs to step in because it’s an economic issue,” Creighton said, “and it reveals the farcical nature of the Republican Party saying they’re on the side of the workers.”

Harris has been eager to prove that her union bona fides are just as strong as Biden’s, and has so far not strayed from the president as they both monitor the ongoing strike. But a work stoppage of a month or longer could lead to higher prices and shortages that would impact consumers on Election Day.

In most major polls taken this year, voters have consistently said they trust Trump more on the economy, but Harris has cut into his lead on the issue in recent weeks.

So any voter frustration over the strike could be perilous for her campaign as both candidates continue to fight over who would be the better economic steward.