Four Republican senators are reportedly having serious doubts about Andy Puzder, President Trump's pick for labor secretary. CNN reported Monday that Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), Tim Scott (S.C.), and Johnny Isakson (Ga.) have informed GOP leadership they are "withholding support" for the confirmation of the CKE Restaurants CEO. With Republicans holding a narrow 52-48 majority in the Senate, that could spell serious problems for Puzder's confirmation.
As was the case with now-confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Puzder is teetering on the edge of achieving the majority required to confirm a Cabinet nominee. Neither Collins nor Murkowski supported DeVos, forcing Vice President Mike Pence to step in as the tie-breaker. But if two of the four hesitant Republicans cannot be coaxed back into supporting Puzder, not even Pence could save the day.
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Puzder's Senate confirmation hearing is slated for Thursday, after being delayed several times amid pushback from labor rights activists and Puzder's admission he and his wife once employed an undocumented immigrant as a part-time housekeeper.