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Pennsylvania's Senator John Fetterman cast the deciding vote Thursday (March 19) to advance Markwayne Mullin's nomination as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), crossing party lines to send President Trump's pick to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the nomination 8-7, with Fetterman being the only Democrat to vote yes. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Fetterman's vote became essential after Republican committee chairman Rand Paul broke with his own party and voted against Mullin, citing concerns about the Oklahoma senator's temperament and "anger issues."
Paul and Mullin clashed sharply during Mullin's confirmation hearing on Wednesday (March 18). Paul confronted Mullin over past comments in which Mullin said he "understands completely" why Paul's neighbor attacked him in 2017, an assault that broke six of Paul's ribs and damaged a lung. As CNN reported, Paul pressed Mullin repeatedly to apologize, but Mullin refused, saying the two should "set it aside."
"I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain," Paul said during the hearing. "I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force."
Fetterman stepped in to urge both men to move on, saying, "It's terrible what's happened, and political violence, I mean, it's rampant. It's about letting it go, and moving on."
In a statement after the vote, Fetterman made clear why he supported the nominee. "In January, I called on the president to fire Noem — and he did," he said. "We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS. My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nation's security."
Fetterman's support for Mullin was not a surprise. As Lancaster Online noted, the Pennsylvania Democrat had publicly endorsed Mullin as early as March 5, shortly after President Donald Trump nominated him to replace fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. "I'm not sure how many fellow Democrats will vote to support our colleague @SenMullin as the next DHS Secretary, but I am AYE," Fetterman posted on X at the time.
The top Democrat on the committee, Senator Gary Peters, voted no and questioned whether Mullin had the "experience or the temperament" to lead the agency. DHS oversees more than 260,000 employees across agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Fetterman's vote drew swift criticism from fellow Pennsylvania Democrats. U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle of Philadelphia called him "Trump's favorite Democrat" on social media after the vote, adding that Fetterman "needs to go." Representative Chrissy Houlahan of Chester County had urged constituents the day before to contact Fetterman's office and ask him to vote no.
The vote also comes amid ongoing concerns about planned ICE detention centers in Pennsylvania. Fetterman had written a letter to Noem in February raising alarms about a proposed facility of up to 7,500 beds in Schuylkill County and a 1,500-bed facility in Berks County, saying they would do "significant damage" to local communities. Mullin, for his part, pledged to visit a similar facility in New Jersey if confirmed, saying, "If I can't explain that to you, then that's a different story."
Fetterman's pattern of breaking with Senate Democrats — including a recent vote against a war powers resolution that would have limited President Trump's authority to act militarily against Iran — has drawn attention heading toward his 2028 reelection race. The progressive Working Families Party has said it intends to challenge him if he runs again.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said he hopes to hold a full Senate floor vote on Mullin's nomination early next week, where a simple majority will be needed for confirmation.