Collins And Murkowski Reemerge As Trump Foils

A defining duo of the first Donald Trump administration is back.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were at the center of Trump’s many previous battles with his own party on Capitol Hill. They voted at times against his Cabinet and judicial nominees, together helped tank a GOP healthcare plan and, shortly after Trump left office, voted to convict him of impeachment charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Now, with Trump back in office, they were the only Republicans voting against advancing Pete Hegseth’s nomination as Defense secretary on Thursday.

It’s a familiar dynamic in a much different political environment. Between the populist transformation of the Republican Party and the effect of Trump’s popular vote victory, the coalition of GOP lawmakers viewed as potentially willing to buck Trump has shrunk considerably.

Moreover, math has made the duo’s opposition less decisive: During part of Trump’s prior administration, the Senate was so closely divided that Collins and Murkowski alone could turn the tide of an otherwise party-line vote. Not so now, with 53 Republican senators sworn.

That has allowed Senate leaders to give them grace, given their political profiles as two Republican women with unique relationships with their home states — not to mention the Capitol Hill ethos that there’s always another vote coming where they might need their support.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he “was not surprised” by their votes and “I do understand” their explanations.

“Lisa Murkowski is a good Republican who votes with the majority 98 percent of the time and so is Susan Collins. And we’re grateful to them for winning the seat for our majority and so that’s my view,” Wicker said.

He added of Murkowski, “She doesn’t have to vote with the majority [100 percent] of the time to be a good Republican. … She’s not our 2 percent enemy. She’s our 98 percent friend.”

Still, the early opposition to Hegseth’s nomination could be a precursor of what’s to come with two of Trump’s endangered nominees — Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services — now scheduled for hearings.

Other Republican senators are also being closely watched on those nominations.

Murkowski released a statement shortly before the vote explaining that Hegseth’s military service didn’t “alleviate my significant concerns regarding his nomination” and that Hegseth’s previous behavior, including admitted infidelity “demonstrates a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.”

Collins, meanwhile, didn’t tip her hand even as she walked on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon. She voted against advancing Hegseth then released a statement saying that she was “concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job.”

While the two were careful not to lock themselves in as formal no votes in the days leading up to the vote, their opposition didn’t come as a surprise.

They had spent days publicly telegraphing that they had lingering concerns about Hegseth — concerns they maintained as Hegseth’s nomination faced an 11th hour curveball after his former sister-in-law alleged in an affidavit given to senators that his second wife feared for her safety. Hegseth has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Collins and Murkowski also privately told leadership what they were going to do, fulfilling one of the golden rules of Congress: Vote however you want, just don’t let it be a surprise to your own team.

“We had conversations with them and … they informed us of what they were doing,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said shortly after the vote asked about the two moderates.

There was some thought the two might be joined by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the former GOP leader, who had repeatedly declined to say if he would back Hegseth. He ultimately voted to advance his nomination on Thursday.

A final confirmation vote isn’t expected until Friday night. Were McConnell to join Collins and Murkowski without any other senators changing their vote, Vice President JD Vance would be called upon to break a 50-50 tie.

Asked if he knew McConnell would support advancing Hegseth, Wicker added: “I wasn’t sure.”

Joe Gould contributed to this report.