In July of this year, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Chamber of Commerce, two organizations with long, proud histories of challenging organized labor, expressed genuine excitement at Hillary Clinton’s decision to tap Tim Kaine, the US senator and former governor of Virginia, as her running mate.

In a press release published immediately after the selection, Jay Timmons, the CEO and president of NAM, stated, “I have worked with Sen. Kaine in a number of capacities over the years and am pleased to count him as a friend. From his time as mayor of Richmond, to lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia, to his current service in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Kaine has proven to be a principled leader.” While acknowledging that he doesn’t agree with Kaine “on every issue,” the NAM head nevertheless lauded what he called Kaine’s “integrity.”

For its part, the Chamber of Commerce commended Kaine for understanding “how important global markets are for creating opportunities for U.S. companies and workers.” Both organizations applauded Kaine for his previous statements in support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which critics have called “NAFTA on steroids.”