With Republicans having a minimum two-seat majority in the Senate, President-elect Donald Trump should have no trouble getting his cabinet picks confirmed, including Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Republicans could hold as many as 54 seats, depending on races yet to be called in Pennsylvania and Nevada.
Trump's transition team has already spoken with Senate Republicans about potential Cabinet picks. The majority means Trump won't have to worry about centrists like Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, blocking appointments of someone like Musk, the CEO of X, who became a vocal Trump supporter, forming a super PAC that organized Trump's ground game in the Senate.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said on CNN that the Senate will be open to confirming Kennedy, who has generated controversy for his skepticism on vaccines. Kennedy has been mentioned as a candidate to head the Food and Drug Administration.
"The Senate is going to give great deference to a president that just won a stunning — what I think is an electoral college landslide," Rubio said.
Aside from Collins, Sens. Thom Thillis, R-N.C., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., could be resistant to Trump's cabinet picks.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a vaccine proponent after a childhood bout with polio, was noncommittal on if he'd support Kennedy. He told Politico the Senate will treat all of Trump's nominees fairly.
"With the Republicans winning control of the Senate, there is a concerted early push to take the gloves off with key appointments," an oil lobbyist told Politico. "No need to cater to the more moderate wings of both parties to get appointments through the Senate."
Rubio and Sen. Bill Haggerty, R-Tenn., along with former acting National Security Adviser Ric Grenell, are vying for Secretary of State, while Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is lobbying to be Secretary of Agriculture, Politico said.
There are 1,200 administrative positions Trump must fill subject to senate confirmation.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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