Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary approved for vote

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On Tuesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted to advance Betsy DeVos’ nomination onto the Senate floor for a final confirmation vote. If she wins that confirmation, she will be the Education Secretary under Donald Trump.

The committee vote was split entirely down party lines, with 12 Republicans voting yay and 11 Democrats voting nay. However, one senator, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), said that she still had her doubts and that she was unsure whether or not she would change her vote when it came time for the full Senate to vote.

“Do note, she has not yet earned my full support,” Murkowski said during Tuesday’s hearing. “I would not advise yet that she count on my vote.”

The Republicans hold a 52-seat majority in the Senate, so only one defection is not enough, though a second could stall the process. Therefore, outside groups have targeted Murkowski and others in an attempt to keep DeVos’ nomination from going through.

The vote also moved forward despite Senate Democrats asking for a second hearing, claiming that they were “extremely disappointed” by the first one. HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) rejected that as well as other requests.