GOP Senator Thinks Trump Nominee Will “Lose 15 Republicans”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told NBC News he will not support former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Trump’s nominee for labor secretary.

“I’m not going to support her,” Paul told the outlet.

“I’m the national spokesman and lead author of the right-to-work bill. Her support for the PRO Act, which would not only oppose national right to work but would pre-empt state law on right to work — I think it’s not a good thing,” he continued.

The Kentucky senator said he expects Chavez-DeRemer to lose 15 Republicans in the nomination process.

“And it’d be sort of hard for me, since it’s a big issue for me, to support her. So I won’t support her. I think she’ll lose 15 Republicans,” Paul told the outlet.

Paul said he thinks the former Oregon representative will gain some Democrat votes because “she’s very pro-labor.”

Sen. Rand Paul has announced that he will OPPOSE Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Labor.

She will need at least one Democrat to vote for her nomination in committee now. pic.twitter.com/QzbJJQzNSi

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 19, 2025

NBC News reports:

The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hasn’t scheduled a hearing yet on Chavez-DeRemer, who represented a swing district in Oregon for one term before she lost re-election to a Democrat last fall. Asked whether he has told the White House about his opposition, Paul said, “You’re welcome to tell them.”

The stark opposition from a Republican senator who is otherwise aligned with Trump points to the challenges ahead for Chavez-DeRemer, an unorthodox GOP pick who supported the PRO Act, which would beef up labor protections for employees to collectively bargain and expand the scope of what counts as an unfair labor practice. She has also earned qualified praise from traditionally Democratic-aligned labor groups, including the AFL-CIO.

For the same reasons, Chavez-DeRemer has drawn deep skepticism from the business lobby, which has had a strong relationship with Republicans for many years.

“My biggest concern going into a new Trump administration is the dramatic shift on labor unions, traditionally a large Democratic fundraising base,” a veteran business lobbyist said. “The nominee for labor secretary has shown previous support for anti-employer rights legislation, and there is no reason to believe that she won’t put people and policies in place to enact new employment regulations that restrict employer’s rights.

WATCH:

Labor Nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer backtracks on the PRO Act.

RAND PAUL: Do you still support the PRO Act?

CHAVEZ-DEREMER : I fully, fairly support states who want to protect their right to work.

PAUL: So you no longer support the aspect of the PRO Act that would’ve overturn… pic.twitter.com/FdoPzSerZf

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 19, 2025

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said he would vote yes for Chavez-DeRemer.

“She’s the president’s choice to lead the Labor Department, and you can see why,” he said.

WATCH:

Sen. Josh Hawley FIRED UP Over Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Says He Will ‘Absolutey’ Vote Yes

“She’s the PRESIDENT’S choice to lead the Labor Department, and you can see why….” pic.twitter.com/Rb9momlKeE

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 19, 2025

“Not only do we support [Lori Chavez-DeRemer], we are going to the mat to make sure she gets confirmed,” Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said.

WATCH:

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien @TeamsterSOB: “Not only do we support [Lori Chavez-DeRemer], we are going to the mat to make sure she gets confirmed.” pic.twitter.com/vH6f0sx5H4

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2025

From the New York Post:

Labor Secretary-designate Lori Chavez-DeRemer walked back her support for a pro-union law during a tense confirmation hearing on Wednesday — with the nominee’s fellow Republicans displaying the most skepticism about her choice.

Chavez-DeRemer, who represented Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District before losing re-election in 2024, was one of just three GOP lawmakers to vote for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would have ended legal protections for employees who don’t wish to join a union or pay dues.

So-called “right-to-work” laws offering freedom from unionization exist in more than two dozen US states — and more than a dozen Senate Republicans have been on the fence about Chavez-DeRemer due to her voting record.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who chairs a right-to-work caucus, homed in on that when questioning Chavez-DeRemer during Wednesday’s hearing in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

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“About half the country has right-to-work laws, 26 states have them,” Paul said. “When you compare right-to-work states with non-right-to-work states, you see that the right-to-work states have double the employment growth. If you look at manufacturing jobs, they have five times the manufacturing job growth. If you look at disposable income in the right-to-work states, about $3,000 more per individual.”

“The PRO Act wasn’t just about organizing or enabling unions to organize, which they already have the right to do. The PRO Act was about overturning right-to-work laws,” the Kentuckian charged. “This is a tremendous, sort of, invasion of the states’ rights to decide these. This would be overturning right-to-work laws in half of the country.”

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.