James P. Hoffa more than $750,000 in union assets had been used in Carey's 1996 reelection campaign. During the 1998 election Tom Leedham, then-director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division, campaigned against James P. Hoffa. Campaigning to unite the union, Hoffa won the election. After having lost narrowly in 1996 to Ron Carey, Hoffa's new role as president was considered by Teamster members as a chance to rebuild the union. Hoffa was re-elected in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 to five-year terms. "The first big test of the Hoffa administration" was the ratification in June 1999, of a four-year contract covering 13,000 carhaul members
James P. Hoffa American dream to own their own home, send their kids to college and plan a strong retirement. Hoffa, while pledging support of the AFL-CIO, said, "Today's decision means that we have chosen a course of growth and strength for the American labor movement based on organizing new members. ... This is just the beginning of a new era for America's workers." Hoffa is an advocate of fair trade policies and a wide range of legislation. He also composed a weblog essay on the "Huffington Post" attacking Whole Foods for undermining efforts to win Congressional reform. Hoffa also spoke on the