The head of one of the country’s largest and oldest unions has surprised political observers by endorsing a Republican senator.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien praised Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., over the weekend, a move that breaks with the Democratic leanings often associated with national unions. O’Brien previously had a heated exchange with Markwayne Mullin during a Senate hearing. The two later became acquaintances, and Mullin is now secretary of homeland security.
“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 wrote Sunday. The Teamsters, founded 123 years ago, represent about 1.3 million members.
O’Brien said Moody had worked with the union on protecting pensions, supporting well-paid jobs and backing union apprenticeship programs. He also said the Teamsters hoped to work with her on the Senate HELP Committee to pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act.
Though O’Brien has described himself as a lifelong Democrat, he spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention. At the time, he said Democrats had declined his request to speak at their convention. He also argued that criticism from either party would not change his responsibility to represent Teamsters members.
Moody, a former Florida attorney general, said she was proud to receive O’Brien’s endorsement. She said she would continue working to protect workers, support good-paying jobs and fund training for the next generation.
Angie Nixon, the Democratic nominee and a state lawmaker from Jacksonville, responded by sharing a photo of herself with O’Brien. “Ashley Moody never walked the line with you,” she wrote, adding that she would stand with Teamsters members who supported her.
O’Brien also faced criticism for voting in Florida, which appeared to suggest he had moved from his hometown of Boston. Some people questioned his support for a candidate they viewed as opposed to unions, while others used “scab,” a union term for someone who crosses a picket line to return to work.
