While President Trump has the GOP mostly under his thumb, it's become clear that he can't rely on all Republican senators to support his Cabinet picks. 

The president's nominee for Labor Secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, is facing skepticism from Republicans like Sen. Rand Paul (KY) over her ties to organized labor, raising the possibility that she will need Democratic votes to get confirmed.

Republican opposes Trump pick

During his re-election campaign, Trump extended an olive branch to Teamsters president Sean O'Brien, who praised Trump as "one tough SOB" in a speech at the Republican National Convention following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Some Republicans have welcomed Chavez-DeRemer's nomination as part of an effort to expand the Republican tent, but not all Republicans are on board with Trump's embrace of unions.

Republicans have questioned Chavez-DeRemer's support of the PRO Act, a national pro-union bill that overrides state right-to-work- laws. The legislation was vehemently pushed by President Biden.

“I’m the national spokesman and lead author of the right-to-work bill,” Senator Paul said. “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.”

“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 said.

While he plans to vote no, Paul suggested his say may not matter in the end.

“I think she’ll lose 15 Republicans, and she’ll get 25 Democrats. I mean, she’s very pro-labor. She might get all the Democrats, who knows,” Paul quipped.

Skepticism in the party

Senate Republicans have been mostly supportive of Trump's nominees, but Trump has faced pushback from some moderate Republicans like Susan Collins (ME), as well as Mitch McConnell (KY), whose personal loathing of Trump is no secret.

However, the skepticism of Chavez-DeRemer is coming from Republicans who are usually supportive of Trump's agenda. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R) also called Chavez-DeRemer's support of the PRO act "concerning," adding, “Why would she support that?”

Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican from Oregon, served a single term in Congress before losing re-election in the fall.

While Republicans have their doubts about her, some Democrats have said they support her.

"It will be great to have an Oregonian who's in the cabinet. She was the most pro-labor Republican in the House of Representatives, and I plan to support her," Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, said.