Republican Senators Wait to Make Commitment on FBI Nominee Kash Patel

Patel has already had a warmer reception than previous nominees in the upper chamber, although many Republicans still want to research the pick.

Kash Patel, a former chief of staff to then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, speaks during a campaign event for Republican election candidates at the Whiskey Roads Restaurant & Bar in Tucson, Ariz., on July 31, 2022. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of political ally Kash Patel to head up the FBI sent shockwaves through the capital, but it’s in the Capitol where his fate will be decided.

Several Republican senators aren’t making any commitments yet, but Patel has already had a warmer reception than previous nominees.