Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, cleared his first hurdle Thursday by winning approval in a Senate committee, overcoming the opposition of fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul.
Mr. Paul joined most Democrats in voting against Mr. Mullin, but Sen. John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Democrat, backed the nomination, allowing it to advance on an 8-7 vote in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Only Sen. Gary Peters, the committee’s ranking Democrat, spoke about the nominee, saying Mr. Mullin is “not up to that challenge” of helping DHS.
“He doesn’t have the experience of the temperament to lead this critical department,” Mr. Peters said.
Mr. Paul didn’t speak on Thursday but made clear during a confirmation hearing a day earlier that he is not a fan of Mr. Mullin, who earlier this year referred to Mr. Paul as a “freaking snake” and said he understood why someone in 2017 brutally assaulted Mr. Paul, breaking six of his ribs and leaving him with years of pain and recovery.
“I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against his political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled with limits to the proper use of force,” said Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican.
Given a chance to apologize, Mr. Mullin declined.
“We just don’t get along,” he told Mr. Paul, though he asked for a chance to “earn the job” of leading Homeland Security.
Mr. Trump said on March 5 he was ending Kristi Noem’s tenure as chief of Homeland Security and nominating Mr. Mullin to fill the job.
Mr. Paul, despite his thoughts about Mr. Mullin, sped the nomination through his committee; Thursday’s vote came just two weeks after the surprise nomination.
