Kansas Governor Sam Brownback early Wednesday evening was confirmed as President Trump’s Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
After the senate deadlocked at 49 -49 Vice President Mike Pence was called to the Senate Chamber to cast the deciding vote.
President Trump originally nominated Brownback for the ambassador post last year, but the Senate did not vote on the nomination before the end of December. During Senate hearings some Democratic lawmakers criticized Brownback over his record on LGBT rights.
Brownback will now resign as Kansas Governor. Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer will replace him and finish out the term, which ends in January of 2019.
https://twitter.com/govsambrownback/status/956301756392189953
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ORIGINAL:
Vice President Mike Pence was summoned to the Senate on Wednesday to break a tie and overcome a filibuster on an ambassadorship nomination for Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
It’s rare for a vice president to be needed to break a tie on a procedural vote, especially for a former senator like Brownback. The initial vote was 49-49, but Pence broke the tie, making it 50-49.
Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate and votes in the event of ties.
This is the seventh tie Pence has broken in a little more than a year in office. Former Vice President Joe Biden never had to break a tie during his entire eight years.
A final vote to confirm Brownback is expected later Wednesday.
Pence cast the tie-breaking ballot to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary last year — the first time a vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a nominee.
President Trump originally nominated Brownback for the ambassador post last year, but the Senate did not vote on the nomination before the end of December. During Senate hearings some Democratic lawmakers criticized Brownback over his record on LGBT rights.
If the nomination is approved, Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer would replace Brownback as Kansas’ top elected state official.
