Senate advances Trump’s budget chief

The Senate on Wednesday voted to move forward with Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s (R-S.C.) nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

The chamber voted 52-48 in favor of ending debate on his confirmation. Mulvaney needed a simple majority to overcome Wednesday’s procedural hurdle.

The move paves the way for a final vote on President Trump’s budget chief as late as Thursday morning if Democrats drag out the nomination.

{mosads}Republicans face no room for error to get the conservative lawmaker through the upper chamber.

They have 52 seats and can only afford to lose two GOP senators before they need to either flip Democrats or bring Vice President Pence in to break a 50-50 tie.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Tuesday that he was “leaning against” supporting Mulvaney because of his past positions on defense spending.

McCain opened the door earlier this year to voting against Trump’s pick.

“I’m very, very worried that he will continue his efforts to slash the military, which has been cut by 21 percent in the last eight years. I don’t think any of us believe that we’re 21 percent safer,” he told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in late January.

CNN reported on Tuesday that GOP Sens. Thad Cochran (Miss.) and Susan Collins (Maine) are both undecided on his nomination.

If they, along with McCain, oppose Mulvaney during a final vote, it would be enough to sink his nomination.

Two sources told CNN on Tuesday that Cochran, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, also had similar concerns about Mulvaney’s positions on defense spending.

Meanwhile, Collins told CNN that she and Mulvaney had a “good meeting,” but that she hasn’t made a decision.