How Tulsi Gabbard's nomination came roaring back to life
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Senate Intel Chair Tom Cotton found a surprise ally in former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) to help resuscitate Tulsi Gabbard's nomination.
- The former Democratic senator approached Cotton and was deployed to help sway Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) into "yes" votes today, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Cotton, the hawkish Arkansan who is No. 3 in GOP leadership, worked all the angles on Gabbard.
- He worked with Vice President Vance — who's been a crucial influence on undecided senators — Trump adviser Jason Miller and others on Gabbard's team. Cotton told Trump last year he could get Gabbard confirmed, Semafor's Burgess Everett first reported Tuesday.
- Cotton leaned hard on the White House to persuade, not pressure, arguing that an overly combative approach could be counterproductive for people like Young. (That didn't stop MAGA posters from trying over the weekend.)
- Cotton tapped former NSA adviser Robert O'Brien to whip other members of the committee.
Inside the room: Cotton, Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and former Intel Chair Richard Burr (R-N.C.) huddled with Gabbard for over an hour ahead of last week's committee hearing trying to make sure concerns were addressed.
- Gabbard's hearing was anything but smooth, clearly frustrating Republicans who wanted to hear her call Edward Snowden a traitor.
- But she still won the Senate Intel Committee's recommendation on a party-line vote.
Zoom in: Cotton worked closely alongside Vance, the White House legislative affairs office and Gabbard's sherpas, keeping the White House updated on the status of the nomination.
- As chair of the Senate Republican Conference, Cotton transformed the office — and its X account — into a war room for Gabbard.
- He dove into details too, helping Gabbard fill out required questionnaires and prepare for her high-stakes hearing. When Gabbard made a helpful comment during her closed-door prep, Cotton encouraged her team to get it out there, resulting in a Newsweek op-ed.
The bottom line: There still could be other no votes in the Senate, most notably GOP Sens. John Curtis of Utah, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
- But Senate GOP leadership and the White House feel confident with Young on board that Gabbard will be confirmed.
