Democratic senators appeared on Sunday morning talk shows, signaling a readiness to support Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as Secretary of State and expressing an overall willingness to approach President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees with an open mind. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), speaking on Fox News Sunday, questioned why his openness to supporting some Republican colleagues was considered controversial. According to The Hill, Fetterman stated he would back some of Trump’s nominees, including Marco Rubio.
Fetterman, who ran against Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022 for the Senate seat he currently holds, stated that he doesn’t harbor any bitterness toward Oz. Trump selected Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “I’m open to a dialogue to hear what he has to say about these things,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said. “I’m not sure why that’s controversial.”
On CNN’s State of the Union, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) stated that she “looks forward” to hearing from Marco Rubio during his confirmation hearing, according to The Hill. “I look forward to talking to him. You know, Marco Rubio, you have strange bedfellows, and you have strange alliances,” she told the outlet. She highlighted their “friendship,” recalling a time when she sought permission to bring her daughter onto the Senate floor. She noted that Rubio supported her “every step of the way,” as he also hoped to bring his own children onto the floor. “So, we have a friendship,” Duckworth said. “We’ve served together. I look forward to talking to him to see what he’s going to do or what his policies are.”
While it is not uncommon for nominees to withdraw their nominations before hearings, as recently demonstrated by Matt Gaetz stepping back from consideration for attorney general, the last time a Cabinet nominee was formally rejected by a Senate vote was in 1989. According to Time magazine, this occurred when John Tower, a former U.S. senator from Texas, was rejected for the position of Secretary of Defense following George H.W. Bush’s election. The previous instance of such a rejection dates back to 1959, Just the News reported.
It’s likely to be politically unpopular to oppose Trump’s nominees. A new YouGov/CBS News poll shows that a solid majority of Americans approve of President-elect Trump’s transition efforts. Respondents also viewed Trump’s cabinet nominees favorably, despite some being the targets of intense criticism from left-wing lawmakers and mainstream media outlets.
YouGov, generally regarded as a left-leaning pollster, reported that Trump’s preparations for his second term are seen as off to a “good start.” The poll found majority approval nationwide, with near-unanimous support among Republican voters. Overall, 59 percent of respondents expressed a positive opinion of Trump’s plans for his second administration, while 41 percent disapproved.
When asked about their overall feelings regarding Trump’s victory, 31 percent of respondents said they were “happy,” and 24 percent said they were “satisfied,” resulting in a net positive sentiment toward the president-elect. Meanwhile, 23 percent expressed dissatisfaction, and 21 percent said they were “angry.” Among Republican respondents, 54 percent described themselves as “excited” about Trump’s win, and another 41 percent said they felt “optimistic.” Only five percent of Republicans expressed a negative opinion. The poll also found that Trump’s re-election makes 10 percent of Democrat respondents “motivated” to support his second term.
Regarding Trump’s individual cabinet picks, the YouGov poll found majority support for every nominee surveyed, with the exception of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who has already withdrawn his name from consideration for attorney general. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) emerged as the most popular of Trump’s nominees, with 46 percent of respondents strongly or somewhat approving of his selection, while 30 percent expressed a negative opinion. Additionally, 23 percent said they lacked sufficient information to form an opinion, a trend observed across the five nominees included in the poll.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.