Rex Tillerson Approved For Secretary Of State By Party-Line Committee Vote

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted along party lines 11-10 to approve former CEO of Exxon Rex Tillerson, with all Democrats opposed and all Republicans in favor. Tillerson will still have to go before a vote in front of the entire Senate before he can become secretary of state..

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, appeared to be a potential swing vote on the committee after grilling Tillerson extensively during his hearings.

But Monday morning, Rubio posted a statement on Facebook saying that he would vote for Tillerson, despite his reservations about the nominee.

"I have no doubts about Mr. Tillerson’s qualifications and patriotism," Rubio said in the statement. "He has an impressive record of leadership and the proven ability to manage a large and complex organization. What I focused on from the beginning is whether as secretary of state he will make the defense of liberty, democracy and human rights a priority."

Rubio notes a number of encouraging answers Tillerson gave during his confirmation hearings, such as his declaration that the Russian invasion of Crimea was illegal, and his support for both NATO's Article V and the Magnitsky Act, both of which show resolve against Russian aggression.

But he also noted several concerning responses of Tillerson's. For example, the nominee did not agree that Russia had committed war crimes in Syria, did not agree that Russian President Vladimir Putin kills political opponents and indicated that he had serious misgivings about the use of sanctions. Tillerson also failed to recognize the existence of human rights abuses in China, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

In the end, Rubio grants that his personal reservations about the nominee do not justify delaying the appointment process.

"Given the uncertainty that exists both at home and abroad about the direction of our foreign policy, it would be against our national interests to have this confirmation unnecessarily delayed or embroiled in controversy," he said. "Therefore, despite my reservations, I will support Mr. Tillerson’s nomination in committee and in the full Senate."

With Rubio's declared support, it seems all but certain that Tillerson will be confirmed.

Watch the vote below:

Photo credit: Office of the President-elect