Sen. Joe Manchin announced via Twitter on Monday that he would vote to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State — joined later by Sen. Joe Donnelly.
Why it matters: Pompeo needed two votes from Democrats to ensure his confirmation. Republicans currently control the Senate 51-49, but they're down as many as three votes: Sen. John McCain is at home receiving cancer treatment, Sen. Rand Paul has repeatedly stated he'd vote against Pompeo, and Sen. Jeff Flake has not yet announced his vote. Manchin and Donnelly now join fellow Dem Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, who announced her support last week, in backing Pompeo.
From Donnelly's statement:
"We need a Secretary of State who will give the president an honest assessment on critical issues, including Russia, Syria, and the defeat of ISIS. I believe Director Pompeo is capable of advancing U.S. interests and leading the State Department, and I will support his nomination."
