With two G.O.P. senators opposed, Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s pick for defense secretary, can afford to lose only one more. If he is confirmed, it is likely to be by the smallest margin for that post in modern times.
“A handful of Republicans had said privately that the new allegations in the affidavit from Danielle Diettrich Hegseth, the former wife of Mr. Hegseth’s brother, were concerning. But in the end, only Ms. Collins, Ms. Murkowski and Mr. McConnell voted with Democrats against his confirmation.”
Yep. Sounds right. “We don’t like him, and think he’s unfit, but our hands are tied! We have to support the Party.”
Wouldn’t surprise me at all if a strategist like McConnell knew in advance where every single vote would land, and made his vote specifically for Vance to be able to break the tie.
At least I guarantee that if his vote would have been the deciding one between “tiebreaker” and “failed confirmation”, he’d have either voted to confirm or, if he felt really strongly, abstained to let Vance break the tie.
“A handful of Republicans had said privately that the new allegations in the affidavit from Danielle Diettrich Hegseth, the former wife of Mr. Hegseth’s brother, were concerning. But in the end, only Ms. Collins, Ms. Murkowski and Mr. McConnell voted with Democrats against his confirmation.”
Yep. Sounds right. “We don’t like him, and think he’s unfit, but our hands are tied! We have to support the Party.”
With the fringe voting against, to show that “they don’t fully support”.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all if a strategist like McConnell knew in advance where every single vote would land, and made his vote specifically for Vance to be able to break the tie.
At least I guarantee that if his vote would have been the deciding one between “tiebreaker” and “failed confirmation”, he’d have either voted to confirm or, if he felt really strongly, abstained to let Vance break the tie.
That’s roughly what I meant yeah. Just enough to get through but barely, so it makes it seem that they’re not all on board.