Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee appear willing to advance Kelly Craft's nomination to become U.N. ambassador on Thursday, despite new details about how she spent the majority of her time as U.S. ambassador to Canada away from her post.
Craft will need only a bare majority of the committee, which has a 12-10 Republican advantage, to move her nomination to the full Senate floor.
Seven committee Republicans told POLITICO they plan to support Craft, who previously was a GOP fundraiser and consultant and is a confidante of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. No Republicans expressed opposition.Committee members received data showing that Craft spent more than a third of her time as ambassador in Kentucky or Oklahoma, places where she had homes, and took 60 personal days over less than 20 months, according to Democrats. (Republicans say their count showed only 39 personal days.)
“I've studied those,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). “I don’t think they are disqualifying.”
Others indicated Craft’s overall record as ambassador to Canada influenced their decisions.
“We were able to help put together perhaps the most consequential free trade agreement in a generation while she was there, so that’s a positive,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.).
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the committee’s top Democrat, has blasted Craft as unqualified for the U.N. post, citing her foreign policy inexperience and the extent of her absences from Canada during her tenure as ambassador.
“She did not have the time at post that she should have had, which is essential, and at the end of the day there’s a whole host of other issues," he said Monday.
Committee Republicans disputed some of the Democrats’ numbers and argued that Craft had provided explanations for any inconsistencies in reporting her travel. But both sides’ numbers show that Craft spent more days partially or wholly in the United States than in Canada.
The State Department provided data on Craft’s travel to the committee after POLITICO obtained Federal Aviation Administration records showing that her family plane made roughly one round-trip between Canada and the United States for every week of her tenure.
At her confirmation hearing on June 19, Craft defended her busy flight schedule by citing the demands of helping to negotiate and promote USMCA, the revamped North American trade deal.
Nonetheless, both Republicans and Democrats agree that data showed that Craft spent only 40 of her 300-plus days outside Canada on trade negotiations, which amounts to less than 13 percent of her travel time using either party’s numbers. (Democrats said it was 356 days, while Republicans said the tally was 323.)
Still, some GOP committee members interviewed by POLITICO were unswayed by the details of Craft’s travels.
“I think that was pretty well laid out in the committee hearing,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said, when asked about Craft’s time outside Canada. “I don’t have an issue with that.”
Meanwhile, rank-and-file committee Democrats interviewed this week didn’t go so far as to commit to opposing her nomination.
“Still grappling with it,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said Tuesday.
“I have not, either way,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Tuesday when asked if he’d decided on how to vote.
However, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said Monday it would be “very difficult to support her” given the panel’s findings.
“I think we should vote on her — we have all the information we need,” he added.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) acknowledged concerns about Craft’s presence in Ottawa, but added that he wants “a really firm commitment” that she will promote American values at the U.N., as well as the administration’s position on issues.
One undecided Democrat indicated she hasn’t seen enough of the data submitted to the committee.
“I would like to see some more of the information about the absences, where she was — more than I’ve gotten,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine