On the other side of the aisle, top Senate aides have shrugged when asked which lawmakers might help their old colleague through the confirmation process — an unsurprising reaction considering that a number of Republicans have come out against him already, citing his stances toward Israel (too tough) and Iran (too lax), among other complaints.
A top staffer to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, asked which members of his conference might stand up for Hagel, answered, “Actually don’t know.”
Another top Senate Republican official surmised: “He must have been a real pain in the ass to deal with, because no one seems to personally like him.”…
But some Republicans wonder if Hagel will get a single affirmative vote from Republican senators on the Armed Services Committee, which will weigh his nomination. Already, three Republicans on the panel have said they will oppose him: Mississippi’s Roger Wicker, Louisiana’s David Vitter, and Texas’ Ted Cruz. Two other leading Republicans on the committee, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have been highly critical of the nominee.
