McConnell is still causing havoc in the GOP.
Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was one of three Senate Republicans to vote against the confirmation of former Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) as President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor. McConnell expressed opposition to Chavez-DeRemer’s record of supporting policies that could compel working Americans to join unions, a stance that McConnell argued contradicts the principles of individual freedom and economic opportunity.
Chavez-DeRemer, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon, is the latest Trump nominee that McConnell has voted against. McConnell also opposed the nominations of Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In a statement, McConnell said, “After four years of economic turmoil under an administration that was the most pro-union in history, the American people deserve a real change. Unfortunately, Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s support for policies that force workers into union membership signals a continuation of the same failed approach.”
McConnell emphasized that Americans should have the right to choose whether to join a union, rather than being coerced into membership. He also pointed out that Kentucky, where he serves, has passed right-to-work laws, allowing workers to make their own decisions without union pressure. “As Secretary of Labor, Chavez-DeRemer would have the chance to put the interests of American workers first by ensuring that joining a union remains a personal choice,” McConnell added.
Senators Ted Budd of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky also voted against the nominee. Despite this Republican opposition, Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed with a 67-32 vote, with most Democrats supporting her confirmation.
