'Stick around': Top Senate Republican drops major hint that Hegseth confirmation in doubt

23 January

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, seemingly moved closer to being confirmed by the U.S. Senate when Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) — after initially expressing skepticism — announced that she plans to vote for him. But Democrats continue to hope that enough Republicans will vote against Hegseth to sink the nomination, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) is saying that the vote could be really close.

NBC News' Frank Thorp V, on January 23, tweeted, "Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Wicker on the final Hegseth confirmation vote: If I were JD Vance, I’d stick around."

If all Senate Democrats and their allies reject Hegseth's nomination, four Republican defectors will be needed to doom the nomination.

According to CNN's Manu Raju, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) — a frequent swing vote — is not saying how she will vote on Hegseth.

Collins told CNN, "As I said yesterday, I think it would have been helpful if the FBI report had been more detailed and if it had been shared with at least every member of the Armed Services Committee, but based on the information that I do have, and my lengthy interview with him, his extensive writings, speaking podcasts, I do believe I have sufficient information.”

Another GOP senator who could help make or break Hegseth's nomination is Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

The Alaska senator wouldn't tell Raju how she plans to vote, but the CNN reporter tweeted, "Lisa Murkowski, key GOP swing vote, told me she has concerns with Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be defense secretary — ahead of key vote this afternoon. GOP leaders confident he will still win the vote."

Watch Manu Raju's interview with Sen. Lisa Murkowski below or at this link.

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