{"id":2581456,"date":"2026-03-18T17:42:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T21:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mullin-vote-could-hinge-on-fetterman-as-paul-vows-to-oppose\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T17:44:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T21:44:56","slug":"mullin-vote-could-hinge-on-fetterman-as-paul-vows-to-oppose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mullin-vote-could-hinge-on-fetterman-as-paul-vows-to-oppose\/","title":{"rendered":"Mullin vote could hinge on Fetterman as Paul vows to oppose"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmullin-vote-could-hinge-on-fetterman-as-paul-vows-to-oppose%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2581456&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports on Sen. Markwayne Mullin\u2019s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security and the high-stakes hurdle he faces on the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Sen. Rand Paul is opposing Mullin, arguing he is unfit to head DHS and criticizing Mullin for past comments that appeared to sympathize with political violence. Mullin pushes back, saying Paul is mischaracterizing him and accusing Paul of disloyalty to the GOP.<\/p>\n<p>On the committee, a vote is planned to advance Mullin to the full Senate, but Paul\u2019s opposition means Democrats\u2019 support would be crucial for Mullin to avoid a deadlock. Sen. John Fetterman has not committed to backing Mullin and could be the deciding vote if other Democrats oppose him. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, which would help Mullin reach confirmation in the full chamber, though the committee showdown could complicate timing.<\/p>\n<p>Mullin would replace outgoing DHS Secretary kristi Noem, who is moving to a different role in Trump\u2019s management. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >confirmation process unfolds amid tensions<\/a> over the administration\u2019s immigration agenda and recent violence connected to political rhetoric, highlighted by Mullin\u2019s hearing and the private discussions about a past classified trip.<\/p>\n<p>the outcome hinges on whether a Democrat on the committee crosses party lines, potentially enabling Mullin\u2019s confirmation despite Rand Paul\u2019s opposition.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Mullin committee vote could hinge on John Fetterman as Rand Paul vows to oppose<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2536474\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The nomination of Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/markwayne-mullin\/\">Markwayne Mullin<\/a> (R-KY) to be President Donald Trump&rsquo;s next head of the Department of Homeland Security may hinge on Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-fetterman\/\">John Fetterman<\/a> (D-PA) in the face of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495733\/rand-paul-markwayne-mullin-remarks-assault\/\">opposition<\/a> from Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/rand-paul\/\">Rand Paul<\/a> (R-KY).<\/p>\n<p>Paul, who chairs the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\">Senate&rsquo;s<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/there-it-is-fired-cyber-expert-chris-krebs-admits-in-senate-hearing-that-dominion-voting-machines-linked-to-the-internet\/\" title=\"THERE IT IS: Fired Cyber \u201cExpert\u201d Chris Krebs Admits in ... ... that Dominion Voting Machines Linked to the Internet\">homeland security committee<\/a>, will hold a Thursday vote to advance Mullin&rsquo;s nomination to the full chamber, just one day after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495733\/rand-paul-markwayne-mullin-remarks-assault\/\">Paul eviscerated Mullin <\/a>at the nominee&rsquo;s confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4496098\/how-markwayne-mullin-would-lead-dhs-differently-kristi-noem\/\">How Markwayne Mullin would lead DHS differently than Kristi Noem<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4496444\/tim-scott-run-third-term-senate-2028\/\">Tim Scott to seek third term in Senate, abandoning term-limit commitment<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495659\/pete-ricketts-introduces-legislation-banning-congressional-stock-trades\/\">Pete Ricketts to introduce legislation banning congressional stock trades<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Paul described his fellow Republican as unfit to lead a massive department overseeing various federal agencies, including <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/policy\/immigration\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"15\">immigration<\/a> enforcement agents. The Kentucky Republican also accused Mullin of endorsing political violence by refusing to apologize for comments sympathizing with a man who violently attacked Paul at his Kentucky home in 2017.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think there are anger issues,&rdquo; Paul said of Mullin. &ldquo;A guy who brawls, a guy who can&rsquo;t even say he&rsquo;s sorry about wishing violence on me&hellip; I don&rsquo;t know how he could, from my point of view, be a leader of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] or Border Patrol. I will be a &lsquo;no.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A defiant Mullin rebuffed Paul&rsquo;s assertions that he supported <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/political-violence\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3563\">political violence<\/a> and suggested Paul was disloyal to the Republican Party for frequently voting out of step with GOP colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>Paul&rsquo;s opposition means Mullin will need a Democrat on the committee to cross party lines if his nomination is to stay alive. Republicans would lack the 60 votes needed to discharge Mullin&rsquo;s nomination from the committee and to the full chamber, should he lose Thursday&rsquo;s panel vote.<\/p>\n<p>Fetterman was undecided as of Wednesday but acknowledged he could be the deciding vote if no other Democrats on the committee support Mullin.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m in a position to just absorb and take everything, so I&rsquo;ve listened to every member of the committee,&rdquo; Fetterman said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m taking in everything, and that&rsquo;s where I&rsquo;m still at. I haven&rsquo;t seen anything shocking.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Mullin would have little issue securing confirmation by the full chamber, which Republicans control 53-47.<\/p>\n<p>Mullin seeks to replace outgoing DHS Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kristi-noem\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3710\">Kristi Noem<\/a>, whom Trump is moving to the newly created post of special envoy for the Shield of the Americas at the end of the month. Mullin, in his first term as a senator after serving five in the House, is seeking to lead the agency at a tumultuous time. Trump&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-teams-up-with-trump-admin-to-hit-illegal-aliens-with-unprecedented-operation-tidal-wave\/\" title=\"Florida Teams Up with Trump Admin to Hit Illegal Aliens with Unprecedented &#039;Operation Tidal Wave&#039;\">aggressive deportation agenda<\/a>, carried out by federal immigration officials who serve under DHS, has sparked controversy after two American citizens were killed in Minnesota.<\/p>\n<p>The exchange between Paul and Mullin at Wednesday&rsquo;s confirmation hearing marked an extraordinarily tense episode involving senators of the same party, eclipsing that of even the combative moments with Mullin and Democratic members of the panel.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), left, testifies before the Senate homeland security committee on March 18, 2026, in Washington. Pictured in the top right is Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), and in the bottom right is Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog\/markwayne-mullin-confirmation-hearing-dhs-live-updates\/?highlight=4495940\">rejected the notion<\/a> that Mullin was &ldquo;not qualified for this job 100%&rdquo; and called him an &ldquo;upstanding guy,&rdquo; but it was unclear how the Democrat planned to vote. His office did not respond to a request for comment. Other Democrats remained opposed over the administration&rsquo;s handling of the president&rsquo;s sweeping deportation agenda.<\/p>\n<p>Mullin and members of the committee held a private meeting after the hearing to discuss a classified foreign trip Mullin took on official business roughly a decade ago while serving in the House. But it appeared to have little impact.<\/p>\n<p>Fetterman said the meeting, which occurred in a secure area of the U.S. Capitol reserved for classified briefings, did not sway him one way or the other. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said it &ldquo;raised more questions,&rdquo; while Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) downplayed the episode as &ldquo;blown out of proportion.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495733\/rand-paul-markwayne-mullin-remarks-assault\/\">RAND PAUL TEARS INTO MARKWAYNE MULLIN FOR REMARKS ON HIS PAST ASSAULT: &lsquo;TELL IT TO MY FACE&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Paul&rsquo;s committee staff confirmed a Thursday vote to advance Mullin will go on as planned, despite previous threats by the chairman to delay it unless the nominee gave senators more information behind closed doors. Paul did not attend the meeting. A spokesman told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Paul&rsquo;s mind was made up on Mullin&rsquo;s confirmation but &ldquo;facilitated the meeting to make sure everyone else got the information they needed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Senator Paul already knows he can&rsquo;t support the nominee, but he wanted to ensure all committee members have the information they need to make their own decisions,&rdquo; a Paul spokesman said.&nbsp;&ldquo;He knows enough to know how he is going to vote.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mullin DHS vote hinges on Fetterman as Paul opposes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2581457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-it2b1igy4-1773866112097-e1773866416842.jpg?1773854184&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7921,56760,5531,76100,44544],"class_list":["post-2581456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-fetterman","tag-mullin-2","tag-paul","tag-senatevote","tag-uspolitics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-it2b1igy4-1773866112097-e1773866416842.jpg?1773854184&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581456"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581460,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581456\/revisions\/2581460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}