Two GOP senators to vote 'no' on Betsy DeVos

[Jose Garcia]

Source: The Hill

GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski in back-to-back speeches on the Senate floor announced Wednesday that they would oppose Betsy DeVos's nomination to be Education secretary.

They are the first two Republicans to break with Trump on any of his Cabinet picks, and the votes could make it difficult for DeVos to win confirmation.

If all of the Senate's Democrats vote against DeVos, she would have 50 votes if the remaining Republicans backed her — with Vice President Mike Pence potentially breaking the tie. No Democrats have backed DeVos.

"I come to the floor to announce a very difficult decision that I have made, and that is to vote against the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be our nation's next secretary of Education," Collins said from the Senate floor.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/317379-gop-senator-to-vote-no-on-betsy-devos

[bravenak]

1. Thank you Lisa

[Chiquitita]

2. How can we thank them?

I'm grateful they are standing up.

[BigDemVoter]

6. I'm GLAD, but I'm not GRATEFUL.

They are only doing their fucking JOBS. And Susan Collins is NO "moderate"; she is an awful, awful person. She is ONLY doing this, as she knows if she doesn't that she'll be in deep SHIT with her constituents.

[Chiquitita]

10. I hear your anger. I'm angry too.

But I do appreciate them for doing their jobs when so many are not.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

20. That's what she's supposed to do...what those who elected her want

I am originally from Maine and she is extremely popular because while she has her own positions on things she doesn't just blindly go along with the Republicans and she DOES listen to those she represents and takes that into account. She's one of the few Republicans who actually do their job as they are supposed to. I don't get the hate directed at her. If all Senators did that then we'd all be in a much better country.

[sheshe2]

3. Good for them!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

4. Thank you for voting your conscience.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

5. Sadly....

We need one more Republican to cross the aisle or it is all for naught as Pence would cast the deciding vote in favor of Betsy DeVos.

[red dog 1]

7. Now all we need is one more GOP senator with the courage to say NO to DeVos

and Trump will have to find some other unqualified person for Education Secretary.

(Joe Manchin (D-VA) won't be voting for her)

K&R

[Jose Garcia]

9. They are going to need to vote on DeVos before Sessions

Since it appears that DeVos will not be confirmed without Session's vote.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

21. If they confirm Sessions before the vote

Then shouldn't it only take two since he would no longer get to vote?

[stuffmatters]

27. Best bets are barrage calls to Repub Senators ( eg. Nv, Co) in Dem leaning states.

[red dog 1]

28. Good idea...and barrage Faxes too (if you have a fax machine)

Those faxes pile up on the floor if enough are sent.

[stuffmatters]

38. I'm calling Repub relativess in NV & Co, riling them that the public education they pay for

is going to be gifted to Wall Street under DeVos. So far three of them are calling their Repub Senator to ask him not to vote for
Devos or any other nominee for Sec'y of (giving away the public) Education their taxes pay for.

[delisen]

8. Interesting both Republican anti-DeVos senators are female n/t

[Girard442]

11. Most likely GOP leadership gave Collins & Murkowski permission to vote no...

...knowing that the remaining 50 were rock-solid. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

[Tom Rinaldo]

25. Note that Murkowski voted yes to help DeVos get out of committee

There were probably negotiations over that, allowing DeVos to get out of the committee in return for being able to oppose her on the floor for her constituents, but not stop the nomination. Hope I'm wrong, but doubt it.

[Jose Garcia]

40. I guess that we will see how skillful Mitch McConnell is at counting votes

[snort]

12. Difficult?

Seems like an easy call.

[angrychair]

13. Don't need just more republicans

Need more Democrats...14 Dems have voted for every trump cabinet nominee:

Link to tweet

[FBaggins]

29. Who were the 14 for Tillerson?

He was confirmed 56-43 so there must have been a bunch of Republican defectors, right?

[red dog 1]

31. + 1

Those 14 Dems should be ashamed of themselves!....Dinos!

[mountain grammy]

14. I will not thank them

For doing what's right

[Ilsa]

15. Joe Manchin will probably vote for her to

Satisfy his constituents. Unless more Rs defect, we're stuck with her.

[geek tragedy]

18. Manchin is a confirmed no nt

[Ilsa]

19. Oh, good. I was afraid his constituents had him by the balls. nt

[red dog 1]

32. Manchin stated he wouldn't be voting for her.

[Ilsa]

33. Yes, the other reply told me. NT

[CaptainTruth]

16. Anybody seen a quote from Murkowski saying she'll vote No? ...

This & other sources I've seen quote her as saying "I do not intend to vote," which to me means she's abstaining, not voting, which of course is not a "No" vote, it's just not voting at all.

[red dog 1]

34. Several sources report Murkowski will vote NO

Including CNN, WaPo, and KTLA TV (Los Angeles) and the NY Daily News

[CaptainTruth]

39. Thanks. I just read the reports in all those sources & none quote her saying she'll vote no

The Hill quotes her saying she "will not vote" & concludes that means she'll vote no, but to me "will not vote" means "will not vote," which means abstain, & that won't add a vote in the No column.

We've all seen plenty of sloppy journalism & reporters jumping to inaccurate conclusions, I just wonder if that's the case here. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Dustlawyer]

17. They will let the two break ranks, but not a third.

Get used to this.

[red dog 1]

35. You're probably right

[cstanleytech]

22. Probably simply token no votes meant to try and quell some of the controversy of putting a person

so clearly anti education in charge of education.

[Scruffy1]

23. Sounds like they are just covering their own ass so they can use the term "moderate"

They've pulled this shit many times. See how they vote when it is the deciding vote and I'll believe them.

[wryter2000]

24. Good for them

If only one more Republican would join them, the appointment would be toast.

[red dog 1]

36. That's exactly what I said in reply # 7

Great minds think alike?

[wryter2000]

43. You bet

[JMCoast]

26. So we have

Murkowski, Collins, and an occasional Mccain or Lindsay Graham that might show some guts once in a while. Pretty pathetic but I guess it's a start. The idiot in chief will surely coax a few more to wake up won't he? Yeah......right

[adigal]

37. Harry Reid said you can always count on Susan Collins' vote when it didn't matter

Which in this would mean that no other Repubs are going to cross the aisle, and Pence will vote her in.

I still think we need to flood people like Dean Heller's office with calls.

[DownriverDem]

41. DeVos will still win

Why? There will be no other repub senator that has the spine to vote against her. So it will look good for Collins & Murkowski, but that's all.

[Mc Mike]

42. Put a hold on her, and the rest of dRumpf's garbage appointees. nt.

[bigworld]

44. PENNSYLVANIANS -- Call Sen Toomey today

Here is a list of his offices.

http://www.toomey.senate.gov/?p=offices

Be polite!

He could be the deciding vote!