Sen. John Barrasso isn't worried about intraparty opposition to President Donald Trump's two latest Cabinet nominations, telling Fox News that he's confident both will get confirmed after a "thorough vetting."
In an interview with Fox News' "America's Newsroom" program, the Wyoming Republican expects bipartisan support for both Mike Pompeo as secretary of state and Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo at the CIA, despite opposition already from colleague Sen. Rand Paul.
"With regard to Mike Pompeo, I think he is the right person for the job," Barrasso said on Fox. "Mike Pompeo has a good chemistry with the president. . . He knows the issues, knows the people.
"And even though Rand Paul voted against him to be CIA director, remember 14 Democrats voted to confirm him in that position, but that's what the hearings are all about," Barrasso said.
However, Paul's a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where Republicans hold just an 11-10 advantage, but Barrasso is confident that Pompeo will make it out of the committee.
"We'll able to get him out of the committee in terms of the nominee, get him to the floor of the Senate," Barrasso said. "There are a number of different ways to do it, and I'm hoping to have Democratic support for Pompeo through the committee as well."
Barrasso is just as confident about getting Haspel confirmed, though she'll go through the Senate Intelligence Committee.
"She's had a long and distinguished career working with presidents and administrations on both sides of the aisle," Barrasso said. "I think she is absolutely the person the president wants to work with. I'm committed to working with her as well. She has good bipartisan friendships within the Senate and agency."