Republicans are hoping that Gina Haspel’s gender might help her win the Senate votes she needs to become President Trump’s next CIA director.
Haspel is at risk given her past ties to enhanced interrogation techniques that her critics say amounted to torture, and she reportedly offered to withdraw her nomination over fears she can’t get the votes in the Senate. But Republicans are playing up the idea that she would be the first woman ever to be confirmed to run the spy agency, which could make it much harder for lawmakers, particularly women, to vote “no.”
In a floor speech Monday, Sen. Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, warned that “women everywhere will be watching this week” as Haspel faces the Senate Intelligence Committee for confirmation hearing Wednesday.
“I think it’s important for the country’s young women to see someone like Ms. Haspel leading an agency as vital to our national security as the CIA,” Cornyn said Monday. “Women everywhere will be watching this week, and Democrats should show them that ambition, good character and hard work are always welcome and rewarded in the upper echelons of the United States government.”
While her confirmation is not guaranteed, Haspel, who is considered well-qualified and highly respected in her field, could pick up several votes from Democratic women.
Even Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who has complained about a lack of transparency with Haspel’s CIA resume, may end up voting for her, according to sources close to the nominating process, although she is officially undecided and faces a June Democratic primary that could prompt her to vote against Haspel.
While civil liberties organizations and other outside groups have called for the Senate to block Haspel because of her role overseeing the enhanced interrogation program, Haspel has received endorsements from a bipartisan group of six former CIA directors and three directors of national intelligence.
Haspel’s proponents say other Senate “yes” votes could come from Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, both New Hampshire Democrats.
Red-state Democratic women facing tough re-election bids, Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., are also possible “yes” votes.
In all, Haspel needs only to pick up one Democrat in order to win confirmation, if undecided Susan Collins, R-Maine, votes in her favor.
Collins said she will decide on Haspel following her confirmation hearing, which takes place Wednesday, but has spoken favorably about her in a recent television interview.
Other Senate Democrats who may end up voting for Haspel include Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Intelligence Committee members Angus King, a Maine Independent who normally votes with the Democrats, and Mark Warner, of Virginia, who is the panel ranking member who represents many CIA employees.
The Trump administration is ramping up the pressure on the Senate to back Haspel. President Trump tweeted for Haspel to “win” on Monday.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Haspel is the most qualified to take on the job and should be confirmed, and said Democrats who don’t can’t claim to support women.
“Any Democrat who claims to support women’s empowerment and our national security but opposes her nomination is a total hypocrite,” Sanders said.
