Senate advances nominations of Obama bundlers

The Senate advanced the nominations of two former Obama campaign bundlers on Monday.

Debate on Noah Mamet’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to Argentina ended on a 50-36 vote. The Senate also voted 50-36 to advance Colleen Bradley Bell to be U.S. ambassador to Hungary.

{mosads}Some criticized Mamet and Bell for showing a lack of knowledge during confirmation hearings about the countries they’d be serving in. Neither are career diplomats, but each raised more than $500,000 for President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.

Their confirmation votes are expected on Tuesday morning.

With Republicans taking control of the upper chamber next year, Democrats are more motivated than ever to clear as many of Obama’s executive and judicial nominations as possible before the end of the year.

Mamet and Bell’s nominations likely wouldn’t have had the votes in the Republican-controlled Senate.