Kristi Noem Confirmed to Lead Homeland Security in Rare Weekend Vote

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has cleared a confirmation vote in the Senate, becoming the next Director of Homeland Security and officially joining the new Trump administration.

She was confirmed with bipartisan support, winning 59-34.

Noem’s confirmation process did not receive the same level of scrutiny as some of President Donald Trump’s other picks, such as newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. His overnight vote ended 51-50 with three Republicans – Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell – voting against him and Vice President JD Vance having to cast the tie-breaking vote.

Noem, who did face an at-times contentious confirmation hearing, nonetheless made it through the process unscathed. There were signs that she could even be confirmed with some bipartisan support. She previously received some support from Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where her nomination passed with a 13-2 vote to move to the full Senate for final confirmation.

Noem reached 51 votes for confirmation well before the roll call vote was finished, with a handful of Democrats voting to confirm, including the more centrist of late John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Every single Republican voted for Noem, and six Democrats joined them. […]

— Read More: redstate.com