Veteran official gets Senate OK to become secretary of defense
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Barack Obama’s choice to run the Pentagon, handing Ash Carter the unenviable task of steering the military as the United States confronts Islamic State militants, conflict in Ukraine and other worldwide threats.
The overwhelming bipartisan vote in the Republican-controlled Senate was 93-5.
Voting against the nomination were Republican Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Mike Crapo and Jim Risch of Idaho, Mark Kirk of Illinois and John Boozman of Arkansas.
Carter will replace Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator who had a rough relationship with Obama’s insular group of national security advisers.
Carter will be Obama’s fourth defense secretary in six years, joining a line of succession that began with Robert Gates and included Leon Panetta and Hagel.
In a statement, Obama welcomed the bipartisan vote and Carter’s return to the president’s national security team.
In endorsing the 60-year-old Carter, Republicans expressed little hope that he would have better success in working with Obama’s inner circle than Hagel did.
Carter served as the Pentagon’s second-ranking official from 2011 to 2013 and was assistant secretary of defense for international security policy during Bill Clinton’s administration.