I’d never have thought I’d write a single post about the Teamsters, but that’s the Trump effect: the head of the faces of organized labor can and will endorse Republicans if he feels they will support working-class families. In Florida, Sean O’Brien backed Republican Sen. Ashley Moody. O’Brien wasn’t speaking for his organization, but he said he was proud to vote for Moody (via Fox News):
The leader of one of the nation’s oldest and largest unions stunned political observers by issuing a surprise endorsement for a Senate Republican stalwart over the weekend.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, who famously nearly came to blows with now-Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin during a Senate hearing before ultimately becoming acquaintances, issued a ringing endorsement of Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., signaling a major break from national union sentiment that has tended to favor Democrats.
"Just voted in the State of Florida for the first time, and very proud to have cast a ballot for Sen. Ashley Moody," O’Brien, whose 123-year-old union is about 1.3 million-strong, announced Sunday.
"Sen. Moody has been extremely helpful working with the Teamsters to protect workers’ pensions, defend good-paying jobs, and support well-funded union apprenticeship programs."
"The Teamsters look forward to working with Sen. Moody in her role on the Senate HELP Committee to pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act and get this critical legislation signed into law to protect American workers," he added.
O’Brien is a lifelong Democrat who famously spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention. The Democrats reportedly snubbed him that cycle. Now, will it make a difference? Moody is expected to beat Democrat Angie Nixon comfortably tonight, but it’s still a good story. Happy to have