Republican senators offered deference to GOP Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) on Thursday but gave few signs that his opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel would sink her nomination.
McCain was captured and tortured during the Vietnam War and has long been an outspoken opponent of the harsh interrogation techniques used during the George W. Bush administration.
Haspel, a veteran of the spy agency, was involved in the interrogations program, helping prompt McCain’s opposition to her nomination.
He became the second GOP senator to oppose Haspel, saying her “refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying.”
McCain remains in Arizona battling brain cancer, leaving him unable to buttonhole and lobby his colleagues against Haspel’s nomination in person.
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Facing a flurry questions from reporters, GOP senators expressed their respect for McCain but said they are moving forward with the nominee.
“Each senator has to make his or her own decision,” said GOP Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), who added that McCain’s words were “powerful.” Though Collins and McCain teamed up last year to help stop an ObamaCare repeal bill, Collins said this week she would support Haspel.
“God bless him. … When Sen. John McCain speaks, people listen,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), before adding: “But my personal opinion is that the deputy director is eminently qualified.”
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) added: “McCain is not always right and never has been.”
McCain’s opposition to Haspel comes as her nomination is facing a perilously narrow path in the Senate.
With Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposed, Haspel needs at least one Democratic vote to win confirmation. If McCain were able to return for the vote — which is expected to take place before the Memorial Day recess — Haspel would need support from two Democrats.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) became the first Democrat to say he would support Haspel. He stood by that decision on Thursday, but suggested McCain’s opposition could impact others.
“If I hadn’t seen all of the facts, classified or unclassified, this would have probably been a factor to me. So I could see a lot of my colleagues, the respect we have for John McCain … we are all very sensitive to that,” Manchin said.
Several Republican senators remain on the fence over the nomination. If McCain were able to influence any of them, it would complicate Haspel’s path to confirmation.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he remains undecided about Haspel but McCain’s opinion “means a lot not only to me but to others as well.”
But he also ruled out essentially casting a proxy vote for McCain, even though he shares the elder Arizona senator’s view on torture.
“I have my own franchise but I certainly respect his voice on this. I always have. I’ve always shared his views, so his voice is important,” he said.
GOP Sens. Bob Corker (Tenn.) and Mike Rounds (S.D.) said they have questions about Haspel’s role in the destruction of videotapes documenting the waterboarding of an al Qaeda suspect.
“Based on what I know thus far I lean toward supporting her, but we have some questions just about the destruction of records,” Corker told reporters.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a close ally of Paul’s, also remains on the fence.
Meanwhile, the pool of potential Democratic “yes” votes is shrinking. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a former Intelligence Committee chairwoman, announced she would vote against Haspel.
McCain’s opposition could give cover to red and purple state Democrats to ultimately oppose the CIA nominee. Still hunting for votes, Haspel met Thursday with Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Tim Kaine (Va.) and Joe Donnelly (Ind.), who are up for reelection this year.
“I think people around here would be lying to you if they said that it didn’t weigh on them,” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) added. “I can’t imagine anybody who has done more work on this subject than John McCain.”