The Senate's vibe shift on Tulsi Gabbard
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Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard has wind in her sails ahead of Tuesday's Senate Intel Committee vote.
Why it matters: Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced their support for Gabbard ahead of the vote. The two were considered the crucial swing votes at the committee level.
- If she clears the committee vote, Gabbard can lose three GOP votes on the Senate floor and still be confirmed, thanks to a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Vance.
- Collins was one of three Republicans to vote against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, before Vance broke the tie.
Between the lines: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) — a close Trump ally who has been an advocate for nominees — told reporters he's feeling confident about Gabbard's chances. "Tulsi has done the work," he said.
- "I think Todd [Young] is doing just what [Thom] Tillis did," Mullin added, referencing the North Carolina Republican's last-minute hesitancy before voting to confirm Hegseth.
- Conversations were ongoing as of Monday evening between leadership and senators viewed as swing votes on both Gabbard and HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who won his Senate Finance Confirmation vote on Tuesday.
- GOP leadership felt good that even the skeptics were still willing to engage.
The bottom line: "We have the votes. We've always had the votes," a Trump adviser involved in the confirmation process told Axios.
- "Tulsi's getting confirmed. RFK's getting confirmed. Bondi's getting confirmed. Kash is getting confirmed. All this stuff about how they're not is DC bullsh*t."
Editor's note: This article has been updated.
