Reuters
US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of the candidacy of Nira Tandin to run the Office of Management and Budget in the White House, in the first defeat for the Democratic President in the Senate.
“I have accepted Nira Tandin’s request to withdraw her candidacy for the position of Director of the Office of Management and Budget,” Biden said in a statement.
This decline came after a number of moderate Republican senators, in addition to one Democratic senator, announced that they would vote against installing Tandin in this position.
Since announcing her candidacy, Tandin has become the target of criticism from female senators from both parties, with Republicans saying they are outraged by her previously violent criticism of several senators, while progressives close to Senator Bernie Sanders have deemed her too mediocre.
But the bullet of mercy on her candidacy was finally fired by Democratic Senator Joe Mansion from West Virginia, who said in late February: “I think her overly partisan statements will have toxic and negative repercussions on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the incoming director of administration and budgeting,” adding. ” That is why I cannot support her appointment. “
The United States Senate has the power to approve or reject presidential nominations for key positions in government. And presidential nominations are confirmed by at least 51 votes.
The Democrats in the Senate have a very small majority, as they share the House equally with the Republicans (50-50), but Vice President Kamala Harris, who is constitutionally holding the position of Speaker of the House, can vote whenever she wants, which enables her, when necessary, to tip the balance in favor of her Democratic party.
This balance of power means that the defection of any Democratic senator must be compensated for by the vote of a Republican senator. The White House tried Tuesday to persuade some Republican senators to vote for Tanden, but his attempt apparently failed.
Source: AFP
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