Vice President Mike Pence was summoned to the Senate on Wednesday to break a tie and overcome a filibuster on an ambassadorship nomination for Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
It’s rare for a vice president to be needed to break a tie on a procedural vote, especially for a former senator like Brownback.
Brownback was nominated by President Donald Trump as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback was nominated by President Donald Trump to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. (Associated Press)
The initial vote was 49-49, but Pence broke the tie, making it 50-49.
Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate and votes in the event of ties.
This is the seventh tie Pence has broken in a little more than a year in office. Former Vice President Joe Biden never had to break a tie during his entire eight years.
A final vote to confirm Brownback is expected later Wednesday.
Pence cast the tie-breaking ballot to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary last year — the first time a vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a nominee.
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