Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, effectively guaranteeing the controversial nominee's approval and ending days of suspense over the final undecided Republican vote.
"All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche," Cassidy said on the Senate floor, just before senators were expected to begin voting on the nomination. His decision came after two other centrist Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), declared their opposition, citing fears that Blanche would not preserve the Justice Department's independence from political influence.
Cassidy had been the last GOP senator to remain publicly uncommitted, and his support was critical because Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) could not afford any defections with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) absent due to a serious health issue. Without McConnell, Republicans hold a slim 52-seat majority, and all 47 Democrats, including centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), are expected to vote against Blanche.
In explaining his decision, Cassidy said he had spoken with Blanche roughly six times in recent weeks, airing concerns about allegations of "lawfare" at the Justice Department, including the indictment of Cassidy Hutchinson, a former Trump White House aide who testified critically about the president before the Jan. 6 committee. Cassidy also met with Blanche in the Capitol basement Wednesday alongside Murkowski, and he huddled with his staff Thursday before making his final call.
Murkowski, announcing her opposition early Friday, said the department's politicization has "accelerated" under Blanche's tenure. She pointed to the handling of the Epstein files, the sweeping immunity protections granted to the president and his family, statements made to anti-abortion groups, and the targeting of sitting senators, including the indictment of Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) over a video urging service members to disobey unlawful orders.
Collins, who had announced her opposition Tuesday, called Blanche "a capable lawyer" but argued his leadership has "further eroded the department's independence." She cited his approval of an order shielding Trump, his sons, and his family business from IRS audits, protections unavailable to other taxpayers, and his role in creating a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. She also noted his pledge to an anti-abortion group to seek a nationwide ban on mailing abortion medication, a stance that has drawn Democratic criticism.
Cassidy's announcement clears the way for the Senate to proceed with a confirmation vote, potentially as soon as Friday or over the weekend, after finishing work on a Russia sanctions bill, a stopgap funding measure, and a bipartisan college athlete compensation reform bill. The nomination had advanced from the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday, and the procedural hurdles were already significant.
Democrats have repeatedly attacked Blanche's record, particularly his role in the fund revival and the Trump tax shield, and they have argued that his confirmation would cement the politicization of the Justice Department. The tightening confirmation math had made Cassidy's vote essential, but with his support, Blanche is expected to be sworn in later this week.
Cassidy's decision is likely to draw criticism from those who had hoped a Republican senator would block Blanche, but it also underscores the political reality that the GOP conference remains largely aligned with Trump's agenda. The Senate is expected to confirm Blanche, making him the top law enforcement officer in the country despite the concerns raised by his own party's centrists.
