Vice President Mike Pence breaks Senate deadlock to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary

Betsy DeVos.
(Image credit:  Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Senate voted 51-50 to confirm President Donald Trump's education secretary nominee, Betsy DeVos, on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence stepped in to break a 50-50 deadlock that occurred after Democrats voted along party lines, joined by Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.