People Power Works as Two Republicans Pledge to Vote 'No' on DeVos

Just one more Republican “no” vote is needed to derail the confirmation of education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, after GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) announced Wednesday they would not support the billionaire in a full Senate vote.

No Democrats or Independents are expected to vote for the wealthy philanthropist, who has come under fire for her negligible relevant experience for the post overseeing the nation’s K-12 public schools and higher education system. That means just three Republican defections could torpedo DeVos’ bid. (In the case of a tie, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the deciding vote, almost certainly in DeVos’ favor.)

Collins cited her “lack of experience with public schools” in a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor. According to The Hill, “Collins specifically pointed to DeVos’s ‘lack of familiarly’ with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, saying she was ‘troubled and surprised’.” 

Murkowski, meanwhile, pointed to DeVos’ ardent support for school vouchers and charter schools—which opponents describe as key cogs in the push toward education privatization—as reason for her opposition. “I have serious concerns about a nominee to be secretary of education…who has been so immersed in the discussion of vouchers,” she said. 

Both senators specifically cited the thousands of emails and calls from constituents as part of their reason for voting no.

“Your activism works!” the National Education Association, which is campaigning hard against DeVos, wrote on Twitter.

Politico reported Wednesday:

Online, journalists and political observers suggested Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) could be persuaded to vote “no” on DeVos:

Other Republicans named as possible DeVos defections include Sens. Dean Heller (Nev.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.).

“Rural Republicans are most likely to oppose DeVos because their communities don’t want vouchers or charters,” public education advocate Diane Ravitch wrote online, pointing to Education Week‘s round-up of the GOP senators most likely to reject DeVos’ nomination.