Heinrich, Udall oppose 3 of 4 Cabinet picks
When it comes to President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks – at least among those who have received a vote – count New Mexico’s Democratic senators unimpressed.
Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich are two of only three U.S. senators (out of 100) who have voted against 75 percent of Trump’s nominees. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is the only other member of the Senate to oppose three out of four of the president’s Cabinet picks that have received confirmation votes in the full Senate.
Udall and Heinrich were two of just four senators to vote against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for the post of ambassador to the United Nations, and they were two of just 11 senators to oppose retired Marine Gen. John Kelly’s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Udall and Heinrich also voted against the nomination of Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., to head the CIA. All three nominees were confirmed by the Senate despite the New Mexico lawmakers’ opposition.
New Mexico’s senators did, however, vote in favor of Trump’s nomination of retired Marine Gen. Mike Mattis to lead the Department of Defense. Mattis was also confirmed.
Former ExxonMobile CEO Rex Tillerson’s nomination for secretary of state is up for a vote this week, likely Wednesday. Udall and Heinrich aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for him, either.
On Monday evening, Udall voted against advancing Tillerson’s nomination until he says publicly whether he supports the Trump White House’s highly controversial immigration order that went into effect this past weekend. The order bans travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
“If Mr. Tillerson does support this order, it will be yet another piece of evidence that he is not the right person to serve as secretary of state,” Udall said in a statement Monday night.
Heinrich was traveling back to Washington from New Mexico on Monday afternoon, but a spokeswoman said the senator also would have voted against advancing Tillerson’s nomination.
Meanwhile, Heinrich has said publicly that he will also oppose the nomination of Betsy DeVos, Trump’s pick for secretary of education, and that of Jeff Sessions, the president’s nominee for attorney general.
Udall has not said publicly where he stands on the DeVos and Sessions nominations.