Mark Wilson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The Senate has confirmed Mike Pompeo as the 70th secretary of state by a 57-42 vote.

Six Democrats and one Independent voted to confirm Pompeo: Heitkamp, Donnelly, Manchin, McCaskill, Jones, Nelson, and King (I).

Every Republican supported his confirmation, with the exception of Sen. John McCain who is still in Arizona battling brain cancer and was not present for the vote.

Pompeo faced unprecedented opposition to his becoming the nation’s top diplomat – many Democrats who just last year voted to confirm him as CIA director publicly opposed him as the next secretary of state.

Last year, Pompeo had little trouble clinching the confirmation to be the director of the CIA. He was confirmed by the full Senate in a 66-32 vote at the time.

It is very unusual for a secretary of state nominee to face such opposition.

Past secretaries of state, including Condoleezza Rice, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton have breezed through their respective confirmations.

“I realize my Democratic friends in many cases feel like that in supporting Pompeo, it’s a proxy for support of the Trump administration policies, which many of them abhor. I understand that” Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee said last week on the Senate floor.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Monday along party lines to send Pompeo’s nomination to the Senate floor with a favorable report. </s> The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It’s one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration’s efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang. </s> Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File). FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo Mike Pompeo smiles after his introduction before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation for him to become the next Secretary of State on Capitol Hill in ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Senate votes 57-42 to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be Trump's second secretary of state

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate votes 57-42 to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be Trump's second secretary of state. </s> Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 13, 2018. Leah Millis/Reuters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang. </s> Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File). In this April 12, 2018, photo, Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his confirmation on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Trump’s nominee for secreta...

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File). In this April 12, 2018, photo, Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his confirmation on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Trump’s nominee for secreta...

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File). FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo Mike Pompeo smiles after his introduction before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation for him to become the next Secretary of State on Capitol Hill in ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):

Mike Pompeo has been sworn is as secretary of state.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito swore Pompeo in Thursday afternoon at the Supreme Court.

From there, Pompeo was expected to rush to Andrews Air Force Base, where an aircraft was waiting to whisk him to Europe for his first trip as secretary. Pompeo is expected to travel to Brussels before heading on to the Middle East.

Pompeo's nomination was confirmed by the Senate earlier Thursday on a 57-42 vote. It was one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history.

President Donald Trump applauded the confirmation of his former CIA director as secretary of state, calling him a "patriot."

President Donald Trump is applauding the Senate's confirmation of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state.

Trump says, "Having a patriot of Mike's immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history."

He adds that Pompeo "will always put the interests of America first," and says the outgoing CIA director has his full trust and support.

Pompeo on Thursday secured the votes of 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent.

It was one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history.

Pompeo is expected to be sworn into office immediately and then depart within hours of the vote for Europe on his first trip as secretary of state.

The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo is expected to clear his last hurdle to become secretary of state when the Senate votes midday Thursday to confirm him.

Pompeo's confirmation narrowly made it out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday after last-minute support from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. He's expected to have an easier time in the full Senate, though the tally will still likely be close.

If confirmed, Pompeo will replace Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by President Donald Trump on Twitter last month.

Pompeo is expected to be sworn in almost immediately. A long list of pressing issues awaits him including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Mike Pompeo as the nation’s 70th secretary of state.

The final tally was 57 to 42, with five Democrats and one independent siding with Republicans to approve the current CIA director’s nomination to his new post.

The Democrats voting to confirm Pompeo included Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Bill Nelson of Florida and Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

All are up for re-election this fall in states President Donald Trump won in 2016.

Pompeo was expected to be sworn in following the vote and then board a plane at Joint Base Andrews to head to a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium.

The vote to confirm came after Pompeo faced the prospect of not receiving a positive referral from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week.

However, Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul switched his vote from “no” to “yes” shortly before the vote, citing assurances he received from Trump and Pompeo.

Pompeo easily sailed through his Senate confirmation as CIA director on the same day as Trump’s inauguration in January 2017.

The vote was 89 in favor, with only eight opposing, all of whom were Democrats.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted last week that confirmation of secretaries of the state in the past has been a broadly bipartisan undertaking, pointing specifically to the examples of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, both of whom received the backing of 94 senators.

The White House spokesperson went on to highlight Pompeo’s credentials, noting he was “top of his class at Harvard (Law School). First in his class at West Point. He’s been an impeccable CIA director.”

Trump tweeted on Monday that Democrats in the Senate were opposing Pompeo purely for political reasons.

RELATED: Musgrave: Here’s Why Liberals Don’t Want Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State

“Hard to believe Obstructionists May vote against Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State,” Trump said Monday via Twitter. “The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people, including the Ambassador to Germany. They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans!”

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters last week, “The trust that President Trump has in Director Pompeo, including having him represent the president and country in those initial talks with North Korea — that tells you how the president is already viewing Director Pompeo as the nation’s chief diplomat.”

In addition to the upcoming anticipated talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Trump also has to decide by May 12 if he will re-certify the Iran nuclear deal.

What do you think? Scroll down to comment below. </s> The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent.

WASHINGTON — The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state.

The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It’s one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump’s first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes.

Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately.

Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration’s efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang.

Pompeo’s confirmation narrowly made it out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday after last-minute support from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. He’s expected to have an easier time in the full Senate, though the tally will still likely be close. </s> The Senate will vote Thursday afternoon on the nominations of CIA Director Mike Pompeo for secretary of state and Richard Grenell for U.S. Ambassador to Germany.

The vote for Pompeo will take place at noon, and the vote for Grenell will take place at 1:45 p.m., an aide to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) announced.

Their confirmations will score a huge victory for President Trump. Pompeo is close to Trump and is believed to share his foreign policy views, particularly on the Iran nuclear deal.

Grenell is Trump’s first prominent openly gay nominee, will fill the important role of America’s representative in Germany, and is seen as a supporter of the president’s calls for reforming NATO. His confirmation has been stonewalled by Democrats, despite being supported by gay rights groups.

Although a confirmation vote for secretary of state has been uncontroversial in recent history, a number of Democratic leaders have lined up against Pompeo as part of a strategy of obstruction ahead of the 2018 mid-term elections.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) initially opposed Pompeo’s nomination, citing his support for U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) absence, it meant that Pompeo would be one short of the 50 needed to confirm him and would need at least one Democratic vote.

A number of Democratic leaders came out in opposition, jeopardizing the confirmation. However, last week, red state Democrats facing tough election fights — Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) — stepped forward.

Paul announced earlier this week that he had reversed his opposition after speaking multiple times with Trump and Pompeo, meaning Pompeo should have plenty of support, although not by historical standards.

Corker lamented the partisanship on Monday as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered the nomination.

“I understand the climate that we are in. I understand the polarization that we have as a nation. And I am hopeful that yet, this evening, that we are going to do something positive for our nation and handle ourselves in a manner that sends the right signal,” he said.
The United States Senate votes 57–42 to confirm former CIA Director Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State.