It’s crunch time for former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., two of President Donald Trump’s most controversial nominees, as both face critical committee votes today.
After the pair endured less-than-ideal public hearings last week, the outlook has improved greatly for their confirmation, especially for Gabbard, a former Hawaii Democratic lawmaker who became a vocal Trump supporter.
Gabbard, Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence, received a massive boost on Monday when Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced she’d be backing the nominee.
Winning over Collins, a prominent GOP moderate and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is a huge step toward confirmation for Gabbard. The final remaining obstacle in the Intel Committee for the DNI nominee is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.).
But senior Senate Republicans believe that Young will vote to advance Gabbard out of committee. And if Gabbard wins the support of both Collins and Young, it’s hard to see how she fails to get confirmed.
Young wouldn’t comment on Monday, repeatedly fending off questions from reporters.
On RFK Jr.: The Senate Finance Committee will vote on Kennedy today. The only Republican who is in play here is Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who notably clashed with Kennedy over his vaccine beliefs during last week’s HELP Committee hearing.
Cassidy hasn’t said how he will vote today. The Louisiana Republican told reporters he spoke with Kennedy over the weekend but wouldn’t divulge any details beyond describing the chat as “cordial.” If Cassidy opposes Kennedy, the HHS nominee wouldn’t advance out of the Finance panel.
The drama over Gabbard and RFK is playing out during a big week for Trump nominees. The Senate confirmed Chris Wright as energy secretary on Monday night by a 59-38 margin. Seven Senate Democrats crossed the aisle to back Wright.
Republicans were also successful in overcoming a Democratic filibuster of Pam Bondi, Trump’s attorney general nominee. That sets up a final vote on Bondi for very early Wednesday morning at the latest.
Plus, Republicans won a procedural vote that allowed Senate Majority Leader John Thune to file cloture on Russell Vought’s nomination for OMB director. Thune also filed cloture on Scott Turner’s nomination for secretary of housing and urban development.
And former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) will be confirmed as secretary of veterans affairs on Tuesday.