Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa announced on Tuesday that she would be voting for Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth—bringing one of the chamber’s last remaining Republican skeptics into line and significantly raising the former Fox News host and Army veteran’s chances of being confirmed.
Ernst, a member of the Armed Services Committee, told local radio station WHO News Radio 1040, “I will be supporting President Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.”
Assuming all Democrats vote against Hegseth, he can afford to lose the backing of three or fewer Republicans. Republicans who still haven’t said how they’ll vote include Maine’s Susan Collins, Utah’s John Curtis, Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Indiana’s Todd Young.
When Trump named Hegseth for the role, Ernst said he would “have his work cut out for him,” and acknowledged in a Fox News interview that she wouldn’t commit to supporting him.
A combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, Ernst recently said that after meeting with Hegseth she felt reassured by his pledge to appoint a senior official to deter sexual assaults in the ranks, as well as have qualified women considered for combat roles.
The reassurances come on the heels of comments Hegseth made just two months ago on a podcast, saying he opposed having women in combat roles—a point on which Democratic senators grilled him on Tuesday.
Ernst, The New Yorker reported Monday, also declined to meet with the woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth ultimately paid the woman and signed a nondisclosure agreement before the case was dropped. Hegseth has denied all of the accusations.
The former Fox News host’s confirmation process has also seen questions raised about the thoroughness of his background check.
In addition to the allegation of sexual assault, other scandals include claims of drinking on the job and financial mismanagement of a veterans' nonprofit. Hegseth has denied these claims as well.
