Ken Salazar. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
The Senate early Wednesday morning unanimously confirmed former Sen. Ken Salazar as U.S. ambassador to Mexico.
Why it matters: Salazar is President Biden's first ambassador pick to be confirmed.
- He will play a central role in managing diplomatic relations with Mexico, as the Biden administration looks to stem the flow of migrants crossing into the U.S. on the southern border.
- Biden announced Salazar's nomination in June. He had his confirmation hearing approximately a month later.
Background: Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado, served in the Senate from 2005 to 2009. He was then picked by former President Obama to be Interior secretary.
The big picture: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has held up dozens of Biden's other foreign policy nominations over the administration's decision to allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany to move forward.