Senator Gallego's absence could ease confirmation of Trump's DOJ pick

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) posted that his wife underwent an emergency appendectomy, prompting him to stay home and miss upcoming votes and committee hearings. This creates a potential swing in the Senate math for confirming Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s choice for attorney general. Republican leader Mitch McConnell is already absent, and Susan Collins has signaled a "no" vote, leaving the GOP able to lose up to three Republican votes while still relying on Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking ballot.

If Gallego also sits out, the party could survive opposition from both Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy, who met with Blanche on Wednesday and expressed concerns about his past work for the former president. Cassidy warned that Blanche’s history of pursuing Trump’s political enemies raises questions about his independence as attorney general.