Tensions flare within Senate GOP over military promotions, Sen. Tuberville at the center

Members of the Senate GOP with armed forces backgrounds find themselves at odds with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) over his hold on military promotions, leading to increasing tensions within the party.

The clash spilled into the public sphere last week when Sen. Dan Sullivan (Alaska) and a group of Republicans attempted to move forward on 61 promotions, only to have Tuberville block each one.

With the way forward uncertain, Republicans are left perplexed.

Senator Sullivan has vowed to take the matter back to the floor in an attempt to advance some nominees, while others are considering supporting a standing order resolution proposed by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). The resolution would allow lawmakers to move most military nominees together until the end of the year.

Tuberville’s hold on more than 370 promotions, lasting eight months, has left Senate Republicans increasingly frustrated, especially given the ongoing crises in Israel and other parts of the world.

The recent attempts to move nominees, a strategy previously employed by Democrats but not Republicans, exemplify the deepening divide.

“It’s come to a head,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “We’ve tried to work through the issues, but with everything going on in the world, it’s time to address the concern.”

Senate Republicans will convene next week for a conference meeting to find a way forward.

The possibility of a conference was discussed during a lunch meeting on Thursday. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) emphasized the need for an inclusive conference that includes Tuberville, who was absent from the lunch meeting.

Senator Sullivan, a Marine Corps veteran of 30 years, described Wednesday night’s back-and-forth as a “demonstration of frustration” but expressed hope for a resolution through good-faith negotiations with Tuberville.

“Sometimes you have a rough evening, and it can reorient your thinking,” Sullivan said. “I think there are opportunities for good-faith negotiations, absolutely.”

In addition to pursuing negotiation, Sen. Sullivan is considering presenting another petition to force more military votes on the floor.

Meanwhile, Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Gen. David Allvin were confirmed by the Senate on Thursday as chief of naval operations and Air Force chief of staff, respectively. The confirmation of Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney as assistant commandant of the Marines also expedited the process following the hospitalization of Marines Commandant Gen. Eric Smith due to an undisclosed illness.

Sullivan also indicated a willingness to work with Democrats on the standing order resolution. However, he emphasized that finding a solution within the GOP is his preference.

The resolution, set to be brought to the floor by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), would require 60 votes to pass. By moving most nominations as one bloc, the Senate could save valuable floor time for more than 300 nominations, while Democrats hope to avoid establishing a precedent for regular order in moving nominees.

Some Republicans have been hesitant to support the resolution due to concerns about changing the rules temporarily and affecting the minority party’s ability to object in the future.

However, a similar situation occurred a decade ago, which has alleviated the concerns of some GOP members who believe desperate times call for action.

“It depends on what that proposal is,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), an Army Reserve and Army National Guard veteran who joined Sen. Sullivan on the floor during the Wednesday night proceedings. “We would have to consider it… But we don’t want to go there. We’re going to try every avenue possible.”

“We need these nominees in place,” Ernst emphasized. “This world is far too dangerous — far too dangerous — to keep them on the sidelines.”

Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), a retired Marine captain also involved in the Wednesday night battle, expressed a willingness to consider the resolution but hopes Tuberville will offer accommodation before resorting to that option.

The back-and-forth on the floor also witnessed Sullivan and Ernst repeatedly pointing out that they were following Tuberville’s wishes for individual consideration of nominees.

Tuberville refuted their claims on Thursday, stating that he wanted the full process for each nominee, including cloture and final passage tallies. He did concede that only about 10 to 15 percent of the more than 300 nominees vetted by his office have raised concerns.

For now, GOP lawmakers are keenly aware of the tensions simmering within the party.

“I think it shows you how raw the feelings are,” Capito observed.

“I think it’s frustrating for all of us that we can’t seem to find a way that Sen. Tuberville can be satisfied. At the same time, there doesn’t seem to be any movement there,” she added. “That’s the frustration.”