Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s (R-Ore.) bid to become the next labor secretary is still on track despite warnings from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) about substantial GOP opposition.
The Kentucky Republican, wary of Chavez-DeRemer’s support for the pro-union PRO Act when she served in the House, said this week that Donald Trump’s nominee could face as many as 10 to 15 GOP ‘no’ votes.
“Most Republicans are for right-to-work, and she supported a bill that would get rid of and override state right-to-work laws,” Paul told us. “That’s really a deal-killer for a lot of Republicans.”
It was a notable sign of opposition to one of Trump’s Cabinet picks. Paul’s skepticism is evidence that Chavez-DeRemer, whose positions on labor policy fall to the left of the vast majority of congressional Republicans, may need to rely on Democratic votes to get confirmed.
For what it’s worth, Chavez-DeRemer has been telling senators that she isn’t against any state right-to-work laws.
“The only person that’s been public about [their opposition] is Rand Paul and Rand is claiming he has 15 ‘no’ votes. I don’t buy that number,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) told us. “Maybe it’s correct, but she’ll pick up a lot of Democrats too, so she’ll be confirmed.”
Double-digit Senate Republican opposition is seen as an overestimate. We’re told it’s more realistic to expect around five to six defections.
A Cabinet pick relying on votes from the minority would be highly unusual. But Chavez-DeRemer’s predicament is a sign of growing cracks in the GOP as Trump wants to shift the party to a more populist route.
Democrats on the Senate HELP Committee universally told us they had productive meetings with Chavez-DeRemer. We’re told Chavez-DeRemer’s HELP hearing is likely to be the week of Feb. 10, but nothing is finalized.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told us he’s “positively inclined” to support Chavez-DeRemer, praising her status as a former mayor and an “implementer.” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said she’s “favorably inclined.” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) added he was heartened by her support for the PRO Act.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said he had an “interesting meeting” with the nominee and acknowledged that she was among the best picks Democrats could hope for.
But Murphy noted Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination doesn’t signal a complete transformation in Trump’s policy views. Trump took the unprecedented move of firing a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board. He also appointed Keith Sonderling, a more traditional Republican voice on labor issues, to serve as Chavez-DeRemer’s deputy.
Republicans who back Chavez-DeRemer are sure she’ll follow Trump’s agenda.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), who is supportive of Chavez-DeRemer despite disagreeing with her on the PRO Act, said supporting the president is “what’s most important.”
Notably, Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination has been championed by the Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. We scooped this week that O’Brien had dinner with Banks and other GOP senators.
“She’s a perfect wedge between where our party has embraced the unions now,” Mullin said. “We have a lot more in common… and we’re going to show them a little bit of love.”
