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Maine Sen. Susan Collins to oppose Hegseth leading Pentagon, but he'll likely be confirmed

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks during hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget for the FBI in Washington, May 25, 2022.
Ting Shen/AP
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Pool Bloomberg
FILE photo - Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks during hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget for the FBI in Washington, May 25, 2022.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins will vote against Fox News personality and military veteran Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense, but President Donald Trump's controversial pick to oversee the Pentagon is still likely to get the job.

In a statement, Collins said Hegseth lacked the experience and perspective to lead the DOD and manage a budget of more than $850 billion. She was also not persuaded in meetings with him that he had changed his hostile view of woman serving in combat roles, or his ongoing frustration with laws governing the conduct of the American military, including the Geneva Conventions.

Collins made no mention of other serious allegations made against Hegseth, including sexual misconduct and heavy drinking, which Republicans have largely dismissed as being part of a smear campaign.

Collins and Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski both voted against Hegseth during a test vote Thursday. The Republican-controlled Senate still advanced his nomination in a 51-49 vote that's expected to be replicated during the final vote to confirm him.

Independent Sen. Angus King also voted against Hegseth.

Journalist Steve Mistler is Maine Public’s chief politics and government correspondent. He is based at the State House.