By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A majority of the U.S. Senate voted on Monday to advance the nomination of former Representative Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, continuing President Donald Trump’s successful push to confirm even his most at-risk nominees for administration positions.
As voting continued, the tally was 52 to 45 on a procedural measure to limit debate on the closely watched nomination, more than the simple majority needed to clear the way for the 100-member chamber to vote on her confirmation later this week.
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Every Republican voted in favor of advancing Gabbard’s nomination and every Democrat voted against it.
Urged by the president and his close adviser Elon Musk, Trump’s fellow Republicans have rallied behind Gabbard, despite some having expressed doubts about the 43-year-old former Democrat’s lack of significant intelligence experience and past statements seen as supporting U.S. adversaries.
The Senate Intelligence Committee last week recommended Gabbard’s nomination for consideration by the full Senate by a narrow 9-8, also along party lines.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Leslie Adler and Chris Reese)
