The Senate as expected overwhelmingly confirmed longtime Sen. Max Baucus to be ambassador to China on Thursday, amping up speculation on who will replace him and creating a power shift at the committee level.

The Montana Democrat, who has served in Senate since 1978, initially had planned to retire when his term expired next January. But in a move that surprised many, President Obama announced in December he wanted Baucus — who was instrumental in helping shepherd Obama’s health care law through the Senate in 2010 — to represent the U.S. in Beijing.