President Donald Trump’s nominee for labor secretary faces an uncertain road to Senate confirmation as she attempts to court Democrats and assure Republicans scrutinizing her commitment to unions.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is the unusual example of a Trump nominee whom Republicans find more polarizing than Democrats.
She is herself a Republican, serving a single term in the House before her November election loss. But she’s also taken a decidedly pro-labor stance in that time, co-sponsoring legislation that would strengthen public sector unions and regulate the gig economy.
Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination lacks the fireworks on display Thursday as three of Trump’s most controversial picks testified before the Senate.
She is a political centrist who does not present the same PR challenge as firebrands like Kash Patel, chosen to lead the FBI, or Tulsi Gabbard, nominated for intelligence chief.
Yet she remains one of the biggest question marks for Trump’s Cabinet as Republicans quietly express concern about her support for the PRO Act, a bill that would weaken red states’ right-to-work laws.
At the same time, Democrats question how liberal her Labor Department would actually be under Trump, who governed as a traditional pro-business Republican in his first term.
Republicans like Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) are dead-set against Chavez-DeRemer, telling reporters on Monday that he expects 15 GOP senators to vote “no” on her nomination. Others have been meeting with her to see if she would run the agency differently than her House record might suggest.
“Support for the PRO Act is not something that most Republicans have tolerated in the past, but I think she’s attempted to address that, and my hope is that she can further clarify her position on some of those issues when she goes through the hearing process,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told the Washington Examiner.
Chavez-DeRemer’s first obstacle will be making it through the Senate panel that will consider her nomination, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, or HELP. No hearing has been scheduled as of yet, but they have proven consequential for other Trump nominees seeking to assure reluctant senators.
On Thursday, Gabbard raised eyebrows when she refused to call Edward Snowden, the former U.S. intelligence contractor who fled to Russia after leaking government secrets, a “traitor.”
Democrats, by and large, have cautious praise for Chavez-DeRemer and could join with MAGA-aligned Republicans in a committee vote. She would then need to survive a separate vote on the Senate floor.
“There’s lots of things I disagree with her about. But you know, she’s in certain ways, in important ways, she’s more appealing than we expected,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), a member of the HELP Committee.
Still, there is no guarantee that Chavez-DeRemer will attract substantial Democratic backing. If she is perceived as offering too many assurances to win over Republicans, it could simultaneously close off liberal support.
“I want to ensure that the representations that she has been making are, in fact, solid,” said Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), one of the committee Democrats who has met with Chavez-DeRemer.
“I have to then put it in the context of what others are saying about their meetings as well,” he added.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) signaled that Chavez-DeRemer could be met with resistance due to broader objections over the White House’s policies, including a now-rescinded freeze on federal aid.
Earlier this week, nearly two dozen Democrats voted against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy despite his broadly bipartisan appeal.
“There’s a couple things at play here,” Murphy said. “I’m not prepared to support any nominee who’s going to implement Trump’s seizure of federal funding.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a deputy whip for Senate Republican leadership, downplayed GOP opposition, telling reporters that Paul is so far the only “outspoken” Republican against Chavez-DeRemer.
She also benefits from a bloc of Trump-aligned Republicans who have vowed to support all of his nominees.
Several of them had dinner with Sean O’Brien, the president of the Teamsters union, on Tuesday night, at which Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination was discussed.
“I really like her, and if President Trump wants her, then I want her too,” said Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN), one of the senators in attendance.
Sen. John Husted (R-OH), the newly appointed senator from Ohio, told the Washington Examiner he is supporting “all the president’s nominees.”
Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination is just one overture to the union households that helped propel Trump to a second term in the White House. He’s also promised a raft of tax cuts aimed at service and hourly wage workers.
“I think what the president is doing by picking her is … giving a nod to the unions and saying, ‘Hey, listen, we got you. We’re gonna listen. We may not agree with every issue, but we’re gonna grow on most issues and where we have differences, we’ll be open and honest with each other,” he said.
But her nomination does not necessarily signal the Trump administration will be avowedly pro-labor. Trump fired one of the Democratic-appointed members of the National Labor Relations Board late Monday night, teeing up a possible legal fight over her removal.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Chavez-DeRemer continues to meet with senators as the HELP Committee finishes its work on nominees including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
On Wednesday, Chavez-DeRemer met with Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the No. 2 Senate Republican.
