Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) announced Monday he would not back President Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, former Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Paul said he didn’t believe Chavez-DeRemer’s support for major labor-friendly legislation was “a good thing” in a social media post explaining his decision.
“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,” the Kentucky lawmaker said in a post to X.
“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,” he told NBC News on Monday.
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. https://t.co/DvLEvCgxnO
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 28, 2025
The news comes after Paul signaled unease about Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination during a HuffPost interview in early December.
His move could signal a roadblock to Trump’s labor nominee’s Senate confirmation. In comments to several outlets Monday, Paul emphasized she “could lose 15 more Republicans” support ahead of her Senate confirmation vote.
Republicans who have publicly expressed reservations about Chavez-DeRemer include Sens. Tommy Tuberville (AL), John Hoeven (ND), Ron Johnson (WI), and Roger Wicker (MS).
Still, multiple Democrats have expressed tentative support for Trump’s labor nominee, making it less likely that a few Republican holdouts could derail her nomination. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) are among the Democratic senators who have commented favorably about Chavez-DeRemer.
Considered a centrist Republican, Chavez-DeRemer lost her bid for reelection last year after running a campaign backed by multiple labor unions.
Described as the most pro-labor House Republican during her time in Congress, the former Oregon lawmaker was one of three GOP lawmakers to co-sponsor the PRO-Act, which favors expanding union protections.
Paul and other opponents of Chavez-DeRemer have expressed concern about provisions in the legislation repealing states’ right-to-work laws, which prohibit a company and a union from signing a contract that requires workers to pay dues or fees to the union.
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“The PRO Act would deprive employees of their right to a secret ballot and their privacy in union representation elections,” Kristen Swearingen, president of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, said in a press release. “It would also impose overly broad liability for ‘joint employment,’ limiting opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and create rigid standards for independent contractors, undermining workers’ ability to work independently.”
Chavez-DeRemer has the backing of some of the country’s most powerful union leaders ahead of her confirmation hearing. Teamsters president Sean O’Brien has celebrated her nomination as has American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who is widely scorned by Republicans.