DeVos’ approval appears in doubt

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s nomination of school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as education secretary appeared in jeopardy Wednesday with two Republican senators saying they will vote against her.

Amid fierce criticism from Democrats and teachers unions, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced their opposition to DeVos due to her lack of experience in the nation’s public schools. If she loses the support of one more Republican — and all Democrats vote against her — the nomination dies.

“Mrs. DeVos is the product of her experience,” Collins said. “She appears to view education through the lens of her experience promoting alternatives to public education in Detroit and other cities.”

Murkowski said she believed DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor and promoter of charter schools, has much to learn about public education.

“I have serious concerns about a nominee to be secretary of education who has been so involved on one side of the equation, so immersed in the push for vouchers that she may be unaware of what actually is successful within the public schools and also what is broken and how to fix them.”

If all other GOP senators support DeVos, and all Democrats oppose her, she would end up with a 50-50 vote in the Senate and Vice President Mike Pence would have to break the tie to confirm her. The Senate voted 52-47 on Wednesday to move ahead on the DeVos nomination, a party-line vote. Despite their opposition to the nomination, Collins and Murkowski voted to allow the nomination to go forward. A vote is expected in the coming days.