Gabbard, RFK Jr. Pass Committee Hurdles in Win for TrumpThe Hill / BY Al Weaver and Nathaniel Weixel Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday cleared crucial hurdles toward winning Senate confirmation, handing President Trump a key win as he looks for an early display of loyalty from GOP lawmakers. Gabbard and Kennedy overcame high-stakes committee votes that went down to the wire in their bids to lead the U.S. Intelligence apparatus and the Department of Health and Human Services, respectively. Skeptical Republicans on each committee made the decision to back them in the final days before the votes after Trump officials, including Vice President Vance, and other GOP leaders cajoled them into maintaining an unblemished slate of nominees who have gone through the committee process. How the process played out underscores how wary Republicans are of incurring Trump’s wrath only weeks into his administration. “They’re not going to go against him. If they go against him, they go against 77 million people,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said, referring to Trump’s popular vote total in November. “I don’t think they want that if they want [to get] reelected.” Both nominees now appear likely to be confirmed on the Senate floor in the coming week, though the final votes could be close. Democrats remain vehemently opposed to both nominees, and there are a handful of Republicans who haven’t said how they intend to vote… |