XOM Exxon Mobil Corp

By Andrew Ackerman and Harriet Torry 

WASHINGTON -- U. S. Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham said Sunday they would support Rex Tillerson's nomination to head the State Department, all but clearing a path through the Senate for the former Exxon Mobil Corp. chief executive.

Mr. McCain (R., Ariz.) and Mr. Graham (R., S.C.) had for weeks expressed concerns about Mr. Tillerson's ties to senior members of the Russian government.

A third Senate Republican, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, is widely seen as the key vote on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where Republicans hold a one-vote majority. But even if Mr. Tillerson isn't approved by the committee to be secretary of state, his nomination could still be considered by the full Senate -- a rare, but not unheard procedural tactic.

"After careful consideration, and much discussion with Mr. Tillerson, we have decided to support his nomination to be Secretary of State," Mr. McCain and Mr. Graham said in a statement. "Though we still have concerns about his past dealings with the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin, we believe that Mr. Tillerson can be an effective advocate for U.S. interests."

Separately, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Sunday predicted the Senate would confirm all of President Donald Trump's cabinet picks, despite Democratic lawmakers' objections.

"I believe we'll be able to confirm the president's entire cabinet," Mr. McConnell said on Fox News Sunday, adding there is "great enthusiasm" for the picks.

In the full Senate, cabinet nominees need a simple-majority vote to win confirmation, a threshold Republicans, who hold 52 seats, will likely meet in most if not all cases.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) this week criticized Mr. Trump's picks, telling reporters the new president was setting up a "swamp cabinet full of bankers and billionaires."

Mr. McConnell said Republicans would overcome Democratic objections.

The Senate on Friday confirmed two of Mr. Trump's nominees, retired Gen. James Mattis to lead the Department of Defense and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly to head the Department of Homeland Security. But Democrats insisted on more time for a floor debate on Rep. Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.), who has been nominated to lead the Central Intelligence Agency to Monday.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 22, 2017 12:37 ET (17:37 GMT)

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