GOP Senators Withhold Support for Blanche AG Confirmation on Day 2
With several Republican votes still uncommitted, Blanche's path to confirmation as permanent Attorney General remains uncertain heading into witness testimony.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche entered the second day of his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on July 16, 2026, with at least several Republican senators publicly undecided on whether to support his nomination to serve as the permanent head of the Department of Justice, according to CBS News reporting on the hearing. The confirmation requires a simple majority vote in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold the chamber majority. A precise count of undecided Republican senators was not confirmed in available public records as of publication.
Witness testimony occupied the second day of proceedings, including a statement from Dani Bensky, identified by CBS News as a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein. Bensky testified before the committee that the public release of Epstein-related files produced privacy and safety concerns, contributed to job loss, and caused reputational harm, according to CBS News coverage of the hearing. Her testimony was delivered during the portion of the confirmation process reserved for outside witnesses, a standard component of Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings as established by Senate Rule XXVI.
Blanche previously served as a private defense attorney and represented former President Donald Trump in federal criminal proceedings before being named Acting Attorney General. His nomination to the permanent role requires Senate Judiciary Committee approval followed by a full Senate floor vote. The committee's schedule for a vote on the nomination had not been publicly announced as of July 16, 2026.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) separately endorsed Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, according to a statement reported by the Washington Examiner and attributed to Michigan Chronicle. Clyburn cited Stevens' legislative work on prescription drug pricing and opposition to Republican policy priorities. The Michigan Democratic Senate primary race involves competition from candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, according to Washington Examiner reporting. Primary election dates and full candidate filing records for Michigan's 2026 Senate race are publicly available through the Michigan Secretary of State's office.
What remains unknown is how each Republican senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee intends to vote, and whether any Democrats plan to support the nomination. The committee's official vote record, once cast, will be published in the Congressional Record. The full Senate floor vote tally, if the nomination advances, will also appear in the Congressional Record and on the Senate's official website at senate.gov.