Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) said she would vote to advance Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination to the Senate floor.

With the added support, Chavez-DeRemer is almost certain to advance past the committee vote scheduled for tomorrow.

Trump nominated some unconventional people for Cabinet positions, such as former Democrats Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Although Chavez-DeRemer is a Republican, she is more pro-union than most of her party, which could lose her a few Republican votes and help her gain some Democratic votes.

During her hearing, Chavez-DeRemer attempted to downplay her previous support of the pro-union Protecting the Right to Organize Act.

“I recognize that that bill was imperfect, and I also recognize that I am no longer representing Oregon as a lawmaker,” she said. “I signed onto the PRO Act because I was representing Oregon’s 5th District. I am fully and fairly in support of states that want to protect the right to work.”

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) attempted to portray Chavez-DeRemer as a centrist who holds both pro-union and pro-right-to-work views.

“If you’re looking for a bipartisan, independent thinker that’s going to represent the Union, you would think this is someone you’re going to be very happy with because she is directly and uniquely positioned in the center,” Mullin said.

Throughout her hearing, Chavez-DeRemer expressed her support for state right-to-work laws.

While some Republicans see her as too pro-union, and some Democrats may believe she is not pro-union enough, it is likely in both parties’ best interests to vote for her confirmation.

For Republicans, it would mean Trump could complete his Cabinet sooner with someone who has said she is committed to implementing his vision for the Department of Labor.

If Democrats are able to peel off enough Republican votes to tank the nomination, Trump will likely nominate someone who is even more pro-right-to-work. Such a nomination would almost certainly pass in the Republican Senate.

REPUBLICANS EMBRACE TRUMP EDUCATION REFORMS AS DEMOCRATS PREPARE TO RESIST THEM

Chavez-DeRemer may be an unconventional pick for a Republican labor secretary, given her pro-union ties. As she said in her hearing, however, she made her decisions as an Oregon representative. She realized that what is best for Oregon may not be what is best for Kentucky.

With Hassan’s support, Chavez-DeRemer cleared a major hurdle toward confirmation. Although she may still face opposition from both parties in the floor vote, it is increasingly likely that she will be confirmed.