The vote is expected early Tuesday afternoon.
Democrats on Monday intensified their already- vigorous assault on the nomination. They planned to keep the Senate in session all night and rail against the Michigan businesswoman. DeVos\u2019 opponents tied up phone lines all over the Capitol and in members\u2019 state offices Monday. And they insisted they still had a chance to sway a Republican vote.
They need only one. DeVos, identified most frequently as a wealthy Republican Party donor, charter school advocate and not a friend of public schools, appears set for a 50-50 tie vote in the Senate on Tuesday. A tie means the decision is left to Vice President Mike Pence, who will certainly vote yes.
Republican Senate insiders were insisting Monday she would be confirmed. Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he was confident.
Teachers , parents and activists who have been swamping Senate office switchboards worked furiously Monday to find another Republican renegade. Republicans control 52 of the Senate\u2019s 100 seats, and Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have said they will oppose DeVos.
DeVos\u2019 \u201clack of experience with public schools will make it difficult for her to understand, identify and assist with those challenges, particularly for our rural schools in states like Maine,\u201d Collins said.
Murkowski said she had been swayed by \u201cthe thousands of Alaskans\u201d she\u2019d spoken to who opposed the nomination.
Democrats were united in their opposition. \u201cA vote for Betsy DeVos is a vote for a Sec of Education who is likely to succeed only in further dividing us on education issues,\u201d Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., tweeted.
There were rumblings that a third Republican could emerge.
Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said late Monday that he\u2019d vote yes.
Because he hadn\u2019t officially announced his position through most of the day, he was targeted by individuals and groups opposed to DeVos\u2019 nomination. His office was getting a steady flow of calls urging him to vote no.
Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., also anticipated as a yes vote, was another target of the opponents. In early January he called DeVos a \u201cstrong choice\u201d for the office.
\u201cMs. DeVos understands we need less Washington, D. C., in our schools, and I look forward to working with her to ensure the next generation has access to a world-class education,\u201d he said at the time.
His office also was inundated with anti-DeVos calls Monday, and his spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment. Colorado voted for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Monday afternoon called DeVos a \u201cwell qualified candidate\u201d and said she would \u201cbe our students\u2019 foremost advocate.\u201d
He said he had \u201cevery confidence\u201d that she \u201cwill lead the Department of Education in such a way that will put our students\u2019 interests first\u201d and he urged \u201ccolleagues to join in confirming\u201d her.<\/p>\n