Joni Ernest, a Republican Senator from Iowa and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has championed women in combat roles for many years, announced Tuesday that she will vote for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for the next Pentagon Chief.

After Hegseth’s long confirmation hearing, which took place on Tuesday, Ernst stated that she would be supporting Hegseth. Democrats attacked the nominee for his lack of experience, infidelity, financial misconduct, and allegations of sexual misconduct.

Hegseth repeatedly defended himself against anonymous false accusations.

She stated, “I take my role as a vetting officer very seriously.” “But I must admit that there are many people who treat this as a stage,” she said during an interview with Simon Conway on Newsradio1040, in Des Moines.

“Those that were only there to score points on the political front failed,” she said.

Asked by the host if she would back Hegseth, Ernst said, “I am breaking news, Simon, I figure you would ask this. Yes, I will be supporting President Trump’s pick for secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.”

Ernst’s support for Hegseth appears to seal Hegseth’s confirmation by the Senate when he takes the Senate floor later this month.

Ernst, a Republican senator who had made previous comments about women in combat as well as the need to clamp down on sexual abuse within the military, was initially viewed by many as being very skeptical of Hegseth’s nomination.

Hegseth told Shawn Ryan in an interview with a podcaster in early November that the inclusion of women in combat roles has made fighting more complicated.

Hegseth’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday was different in his response to this question.

He told Ernst at the hearing that if women met certain standards, he was in favor of them serving as combatants.

Senate analysts believed that Ernst who is a rape survivor, would have a difficult time voting for Hegseth after it was revealed that a woman accused him of sexually assaulting at a Republican Women’s Convention held in Monterrey, California, in 2017.

Hegseth denied the assault allegations. Hegseth’s lawyer said that Hegseth had paid the accuser as part of a settlement linked to a nondisclosure agreement because he was afraid it would cost him the lucrative Fox News position.

Hegseth informed Ernst privately that he would appoint a senior official who would be in charge of preventing sexual assaults.

Ernst learned of this promise at Tuesday’s hearing.

After hearing Hegseth, Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican Party of the Senate) a prominent voice on defense issues stated that Hegseth is in a good position to become the next Pentagon chief.

The Democratic attacks were too personal and fell flat. “It’s obvious Pete was more prepared for the hearings than my Democratic colleagues,” Graham said.

He said: “I think Pete Hegseth is on the right track to confirmation after today’s performance. “

Republicans have a majority in the Senate of 53 seats, so it would take at least four GOP Senators to vote against the nomination to stop it.