Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is the only senator—Republican or Democrat—to vote against all of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet confirmations.
Hawley voted “nay” during the confirmations of both Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary and Alejandro Mayorkas as homeland security secretary on Feb. 2.
Previously, he voted against Antony Blinken as Biden’s secretary of state, Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary, Lloyd Austin as defense secretary, and Avril Haines as the director of national intelligence.
Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have each voted against four of Biden’s nominees. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have voted against three of the president’s Cabinet choices. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted to confirm all of Biden’s Cabinet nominees so far except for Mayorkas, having reportedly told his caucus to vote against him.
Lee on Feb. 2 voted in favor of Buttigieg, who was confirmed 86–13. “Sen. Lee was encouraged by his questioning with Mr. Buttigieg in committee, particularly with his answers on the problems with increasing the gas tax, and he is hopeful he can find more common ground with him as secretary,” his spokesperson told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Hawley has been floated as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, although he said in a statement last month that he isn’t planning to run.
“I’ve always said … that I’m not running for president,” Hawley said in a Fox News interview on Jan. 26. “I just got elected barely two years ago. There’s a lot of work to do, and I look forward to continuing to fight for Missouri every day that I can.”
In the past, senators and other politicians have gone back on such statements, however.
Hawley was also the first senator to announce that he would object to the electoral certification on Jan. 6, doing so for Pennsylvania. Cruz objected to Arizona’s electors. Democrats and other groups accused the two of inciting the riots at the Capitol on the same day, although electoral challenges are supported by the Constitution, and Democratic representatives and senators have objected during recent presidential elections.
Since Jan. 1, Hawley has raked in nearly $1 million in donations, according to his team. The Missouri Republican has frequently spoken out against big tech censorship and attempts by corporations to silence him.
Publisher Simon & Schuster canceled Hawley’s book deal following the Capitol breach. He responded on Twitter: “This could not be more Orwellian Simon & Schuster is canceling my contract because I was representing my constituents, leading a debate on the Senate floor on voter integrity, which they have now decided to redefine as sedition.”
