Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Newsmax Friday that President Joe Biden's pick of Julie Su to become the next labor secretary is "no slam dunk" after Su couldn't answer "basic questions" when she appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday.
During an appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Mullin said he asked Su questions about "workers' comp, about making payroll, filing taxes" and she did not have answers for him.
"What started this whole thing was that Chairman Bernie Sanders, a socialist independent who the Democrats put in charge of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, he said, 'I dare anybody with a straight face to say that Ms. Su is not qualified to be secretary of Labor,'" he said. "I took that challenge, and it was clear that she had no interest, not to mention her extreme views, claiming that corporations are nothing but a shield for privileged individuals to avoid liabilities.
"She claimed America was built on white privilege. I mean, she has very extreme views, and yet they're trying to put her as secretary of labor."
"But that's what this administration is," he continued. "This administration is so to the left, so woke-driven, that they don't put the best people in charge of our government. They put people that are focused on their agenda and their agenda only."
Though the Democrat-majority on the committee appeared supportive of Su's nomination, Mullin said she could face an uphill battle to be confirmed when the full chamber casts its vote.
"I don't think she can actually get approved on the floor," he said. "Obviously she's going to come out of the committee, but I think it's going to be very hard for individuals that are up for reelection — like Kyrsten Sinema, [Jon] Tester, [Joe] Manchin, Sen. [Sherrod] Brown from Ohio — to build a vote on her and then go back and think they're going to win a state in reelection that's actually a red state."
"It may be one or two will, and they'll have to bring the vice president in to bring her across the finish line, but this is no slam dunk situation," the Oklahoma senator added. "They're going to have a hard time pushing her over the line."
The Senate committee is expected to vote next week on advancing Su's confirmation to the full chamber for a vote.
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