Lemire: If the Pressure Campaign Got to Sen. Ernst, Most Republicans Will Feel Good About Him

EXCERPT:

LEMIRE: “But Collins, Murkowski, even McConnell, that’s not enough. That’s only three. You need at least four. Now, that doesn’t mean there won’t be someone else who steps forward. But Ernst was seen as the most likely candidate for that. And if — if — if — Joe and Mika, if she’s the one who says, you know what, I’m going to do this, despite a pretty halting hearing yesterday from Hegseth, who missed some — some very basic answers, you know, and — and was wrong, as Joe pointed out earlier that, of course, other defense secretaries have served in combat, but if Senator Ernst is going to — if the pressure campaign got to her, if her fear of the MAGA base and Donald Trump coming to office got to her, it’s a pretty good signal that most Republicans will fall in line. And those I talked to last night feel — now feel very bullish about Hegseth. It’s not done, but they feel good.”