One of America’s most powerful labor leaders has delivered an unexpected boost to a Republican senator backed by President Donald Trump, breaking with traditional union political alliances just days before voters head to the polls.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien announced Sunday that he had cast his ballot for Republican Sen. Ashley Moody of Florida, praising her work on issues affecting union members and signaling his support for her reelection campaign.
“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 on X.
The announcement immediately attracted attention because O’Brien leads a union representing approximately 1.3 million workers, an organization historically associated with Democratic candidates.
O’Brien credited Moody with helping advance priorities important to organized labor, including pension protections, job security and apprenticeship opportunities.
“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,” he wrote.
The Teamsters president also expressed interest in working with Moody through her position on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to advance the Faster Labor Contracts Act, legislation intended to help newly organized workers secure their first collective bargaining agreements.
The endorsement represents another notable development in O’Brien’s evolving relationship with Republicans and the political movement surrounding President Trump.
In 2024, O’Brien made history by addressing the Republican National Convention, where he called for greater cooperation between organized labor and political leaders across party lines.
The Teamsters subsequently declined to endorse either presidential candidate in the 2024 election, despite the union’s long history of supporting Democratic nominees.
A survey of Teamsters members released during that election cycle showed substantially greater support for Trump than for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, underscoring shifting political preferences among portions of the union’s membership.
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Moody, Florida’s former attorney general, was appointed to the Senate by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2025 after Marco Rubio left the chamber to become Trump’s secretary of state.
She now faces Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon in Tuesday’s special election to complete the remainder of Rubio’s Senate term.
Trump has strongly supported Moody’s campaign, urging Florida Republicans to turn out for the incumbent senator.
In an endorsement featured by Moody’s campaign, Trump declared, “SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.”
Moody welcomed O’Brien’s announcement, telling Fox News Digital that she was proud to receive his support.
“I’ll always fight to protect hardworking Americans, strengthen good-paying jobs, and ensure resources are available to train our next generation,” Moody said.
But the Teamsters leader’s decision drew an angry response from Nixon, a former labor organizer whose candidacy has received support from former President Barack Obama.
“Ashley Moody NEVER walked the line with you,” Nixon wrote on X, challenging O’Brien’s decision.
She also thanked rank-and-file Teamsters supporting her campaign and insisted she would continue standing with organized labor.
Nixon’s criticism highlighted the political divide surrounding O’Brien’s announcement, particularly among Democrats who have traditionally viewed organized labor as a reliable source of electoral support.
The Florida contest has also attracted attention from both parties’ most prominent figures. Trump has endorsed Moody, while Obama recently released a video supporting Nixon.
Although Moody remains the favorite, an October University of North Florida poll showed her leading Nixon by just four percentage points, 49% to 45%.
O’Brien’s announcement does not necessarily represent an official endorsement by the Teamsters organization. Rather, it reflects the personal voting decision and public support of the union’s national president.
Nevertheless, the timing gives Republicans another prominent endorsement heading into Tuesday’s midterm elections.
For Trump and his allies, the public backing from one of organized labor’s most recognizable figures offers another example of the president’s efforts to attract working-class voters who have traditionally supported Democrats.
