Firefighter union boos JD Vance during speech at event in Boston
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance was booed Thursday at an International Association of Firefighters conference in Boston after he said he and former President Donald Trump are the most “pro-workers Republican ticket in history.”
The Ohio senator spoke at the convention the day after Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, who received a warm welcome from the union. A blend of applause and boos could also be heard under Merle Haggard’s song “America First” as Vance took the stage. When he approached the podium, he smiled and addressed the crowd’s mixed reaction.
“Sounds like we’ve got some fans and some haters. That’s okay,” he said. “Listen to what I have to say here, and I’ll make my pitch.”
The union represents more than 349,000 full-time professional firefighters and emergency medical workers in the United States and Canada, according to the organization.
Traditionally, Vance’s party has opposed pro-union legislation. Only 35% of Republicans say unions are having a positive impact, and 61% view unions negatively, according to a February Pew Research report.
Still, Vance insisted he and Trump are the most pro-worker ticket the GOP has ever nominated.
“I want to talk about why we’re fighting for working people, why we’re going to fight for unions and non-unions alike,” Vance said, pointing to the crowd while some booed in reply.
After speaking for more than 20 minutes, Vance thanked the crowd and received another mix of cheers and boos as he exited the stage.
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Trump has an adversarial relationship with United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain and a cordial relationship with International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention.
Both vice presidential nominees’ appearances at the firefighter union’s conference come just a few days before Kamala Harris and Walz plan to flex their support from labor groups in Rust Belt states over Labor Day weekend.
Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JD Vance booed by firefighter union at conference in Boston