The Senate voted early Friday to advance Betsy DeVos as President Trump’s nominee to be the next secretary of education, setting up a final vote early next week that will likely require Vice President Mike Pence to get her through the Senate.
The early morning vote was on whether the Senate should end debate on the nominee, and move to a confirmation vote. In the past, votes to end debate required 60 senators to agree, but under rules changed by Democrats in 2013, they only require a simple majority, usually 51.
There are only 52 Republicans in the Senate, and two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have said they wouldn’t support the nominee. However, both GOP senators voted with other Republicans Friday morning in the procedural vote that will lead to a final vote next week.
She was advanced in a 52-48 vote.
In the final confirmation vote expected on Tuesday, both senators are expected to vote against DeVos, which will likely result in a 50-50 tie. If that happens. Pence will need to be there to break the tie.
Just before the procedural vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called DeVos “one of the worst nominees” he’s ever seen.
“On the grounds of competence, on the grounds of ideology, and on the grounds of conflict of interest, she scores very, very low,” he said.
Democrats along with Collins and Murkowski have said they’re worried that DeVos’ support for charter schools doesn’t make her a good advocate for public schools.
But the Friday vote indicates that Republicans will push ahead with the nomination now that it seems clear she can just barely be approved by the Senate.
