Ben Carson appears poised to clear the Senate Banking Committee and head toward confirmation after laying out a conservative agenda for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, but also winning praise from some Democrats.

The former neurosurgeon offered uncompromising statements on several controversial issues, and didn’t elicit any significant opposition from Republicans during Thursday’s hearing. With 12 Republican votes and 11 Democratic votes on the panel, Carson only needs to avoid any Republican defections to advance to a vote in the full Senate.