Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the GOP whip, told conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin on Friday that he will oppose the nomination of Chuck Hagel if President Obama taps the former Nebraska senator to serve as secretary of defense as is widely expected.
“I can’t support a Hagel nomination if it comes,” Cornyn said, making him the first senator to publicly state his opposition to a Hagel nomination.
Cornyn said his opposition stems from Hagel’s positions on Israel’s national security.
“I’ve heard prominent Democrats concerned about his position on Israel,” Cornyn said. “Many Republican have said they did not want to prejudge. But it would be a bad move and one of the reasons I’ve taken the position [to oppose]. ‘Mr. President don’t do that. It would be a bad nomination.’”
