{"id":30646,"date":"2026-08-07T04:06:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T23:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=30646"},"modified":"2026-08-07T04:06:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T23:06:52","slug":"democrat-says-hell-likely-miss-a-few-votes-after-wifes-surgery-but-vows-hell-be-there-for-blanche-ag-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=30646","title":{"rendered":"Democrat Says He\u2019ll \u2018Likely Miss a Few Votes\u2019 After Wife\u2019s Surgery But Vows He\u2019ll Be There For Blanche AG Vote"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5679057\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5679057\" class=\"wp-image-5679057 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2025\/11\/gallego-1200x800.jpeg\" alt=\"UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 19: Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., attends a news conference after the Senate luncheons in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5679057\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tom Williams\/CQ Roll Call via AP Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A social media post by Sen. <strong>Ruben Gallego<\/strong> (R-AZ) saying he would &#8220;likely miss a few votes&#8221; sparked anxiety among those hoping to defeat\u00a0acting Attorney General <strong>Todd Blanche&#8217;s<\/strong> confirmation vote until he wrote a follow-up post reassuring that he would make sure to be present for that one.<\/p>\n<p>After several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/just-in-senate-judiciary-committee-postpones-vote-on-todd-blanches-ag-nomination-after-gop-senators-object\/\">delays<\/a>, the Senate Judiciary Committee did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/tv\/breaking-senate-committee-advances-todd-blanche-nomination-after-gop-holdouts-back-down\/\">vote to advance<\/a> Blanche&#8217;s confirmation on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/blanche-strikes-confirmation-deal-with-holdout-gop-senators-to-become-ag\/\">party-line vote<\/a>, but the GOP majority in the entire Senate is very narrow. With the Democrats <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/fetterman-answers-whether-hell-cross-aisle-confirm-trump-ag-nominee-todd-blanche\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unanimously opposing<\/a> Blanche,\u00a0Sen.<strong> Mitch McConnell&#8217;s<\/strong> (R-KY) ongoing absence for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/print\/washington-post-gets-one-of-its-interns-to-fact-check-mcconnell-photo-showing-papers-sports-section\/\">health reasons<\/a>, and Sen. <strong>Susan Collins<\/strong> (R-ME) announcing she would <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2026\/08\/04\/congress\/todd-blanche-votes-curtis-01023896\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vote no<\/a>, the Republicans can afford to lose only one more vote, with Vice President <strong>JD Vance<\/strong> casting the tie-breaking vote.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, both Sens. <strong>Bill Cassidy<\/strong> (R-LA) and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mychaelschnell\/status\/2085473322565845258?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Lisa Murkowski<\/strong><\/a> (R-AK) have publicly expressed skepticism about Blanche and said they have not yet been persuaded to vote to approve him. If either votes no, his confirmation will fail to pass.<\/p>\n<p>But if a Democratic senator isn&#8217;t present for the vote, that lets Blanche lose a total of two Republicans. In other words, both holdouts from Louisiana and Alaska can give him the thumbs down and Vance&#8217;s tie-breaking vote would get him across the finish line.<\/p>\n<p>A tweet by Gallego Thursday, sharing that his wife &#8220;underwent an emergency appendectomy,&#8221; was met with immediate sympathy and well wishes for her recovery, but also many expressing concerns about the AG confirmation vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"d4596662f0fb1f5df6fa9842b6e053e8\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Yesterday, my wife underwent an emergency appendectomy. While she is doing well, I will be home helping with recovery. During this time, I will likely miss a few votes and committee hearings. <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s still work to be done before the Senate departs for August recess, and my\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RubenGallego\/status\/2085388902764785960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;While she is doing well, I will be home helping with recovery,&#8221; wrote Gallego. &#8220;During this time, I will likely miss a few votes and committee hearings. There\u2019s still work to be done before the Senate departs for August recess, and my office is still hard at work. I will be back on Capitol Hill as soon as I can be.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Punchbowl News congressional reporter <strong>Laura Weiss<\/strong> spelled out the math.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"4a420e6b0ad0cde5fb28039e3f59db9a\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If Sen. Gallego is out for Todd Blanche&#039;s confirmation vote, it significantly changes the math for Senate GOP leaders<\/p>\n<p>Right now, with Sen. McConnell out, they can only lose 2 R&#039;s and still confirm Blanche on the floor. Dems &amp; Sen. Collins expected to oppose the AG nominee<\/p>\n<p>If\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/VgW1TkyIWt\">https:\/\/t.co\/VgW1TkyIWt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Laura Weiss (@LauraEWeiss16) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LauraEWeiss16\/status\/2085393003120652367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Gallego missing the Blanche confirmation vote &#8220;significantly changes the math for Senate GOP leaders,&#8221; wrote Weiss. &#8220;Right now, with Sen. McConnell out, they can only lose 2 R&#8217;s and still confirm Blanche on the floor. Dems &amp; Sen. Collins expected to oppose the AG nominee.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If Gallego is out too,&#8221; she continued, &#8220;GOP leaders can lose 3 R votes and still have VP Vance cast a tie-breaking vote. That means R&#8217;s would be okay even if both final holdouts &#8211; Sens. Murkowski &amp; Cassidy &#8211; are no&#8217;s.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A few minutes later, Gallego wrote a new post, reassuring those worried he might miss the vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"b8a2e9631b93181ebc5e854d1f24fcfd\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I will not be missing the vote on Blanche. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dLb1KiEMHJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/dLb1KiEMHJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RubenGallego\/status\/2085394667047096801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I will not be missing the vote on Blanche,&#8221; he vowed.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche previously served as Deputy Attorney General during <strong>Pam Bondi\u2019s<\/strong> tenure, and President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> appointed him to acting Attorney General after her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/tv\/fox-news-peter-doocy-confirms-bondi-is-out-as-ag-but-says-theres-no-bad-blood-trump-still-likes-her\/\">ouster<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Keeping the gig on a permanent basis requires <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/tillis-threatens-to-block-blanches-confirmation-if-he-doesnt-meet-with-epstein-survivors\/\">Senate confirmation<\/a>, and Blanche has drawn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/lawcrime\/reason-magazine-comes-out-swinging-against-confirming-todd-blanche-as-ag-brazenly-corrupt\/\">notably\u00a0vocal criticism<\/a>, if not outright hostility, from thousands of former DOJ employees, former judges, attorneys, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/nyc-bar-sends-letter-opposing-todd-blanches-ag-nomination-calling-him-unfit-to-lead\/\">bar associations<\/a>, and other legal advocacy groups \u2014 plus even some pointed public commentary from the Republican Senators who will decide his fate.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche\u2019s critics have cited his past work as Trump\u2019s personal lawyer, vindictive prosecutions of Trump\u2019s political opponents, his role in shepherding the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/pro-trump-police-union-finally-breaks-silence-and-condemns-jan-6-pardons-but-also-swipes-at-biden\/\">pardons<\/a> for the January 6 Capitol <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/crime\/jan-6er-pardoned-by-trump-sentenced-to-life-for-child-sex-abuse-tried-to-bribe-victims\/\">rioters<\/a>, the handling of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/trump\/trump-claims-the-epstein-story-has-boosted-his-approval-rating-to-best-numbers-ive-ever-had\/\">Epstein files<\/a>, and his controversial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/crime\/seven-revelations-and-wild-claims-from-ghislaine-maxwells-interview-transcripts\/\">interview<\/a>with <strong>Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s<\/strong> former girlfriend and accomplice, <strong>Ghislaine Maxwell<\/strong> \u2014 not to mention her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/crime\/no-puppies-for-child-sex-traffickers-ghislaine-maxwell-denied-key-perk-at-her-new-cushy-prison-camp\/\">transfer<\/a> shortly thereafter to Federal Prison Camp (FPC) Bryan in Bryan, Texas, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/crime\/no-puppies-for-child-sex-traffickers-ghislaine-maxwell-denied-key-perk-at-her-new-cushy-prison-camp\/\">minimum-security facility<\/a> that is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/tv\/elie-honig-explains-whats-so-unusual-about-doj-transferring-ghislaine-maxwell-to-minimum-security-prison\/\">not commonly used<\/a> to house inmates convicted of crimes as serious as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/epstein-victims-trump-administration-for-giving-ghislaine-maxwell-preferential-treatment\/\">Maxwell\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The acting AG&#8217;s role in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/lawcrime\/reason-magazine-comes-out-swinging-against-confirming-todd-blanche-as-ag-brazenly-corrupt\/\">purported \u201csettlement\u201d of a complaint<\/a> Trump and his family filed against the IRS is one of the main <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/key-gop-senator-says-hes-on-the-fence-for-trumps-ag-nominee-after-tense-exchange-at-hearing\/\">stumbling blocks<\/a> for even some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/gop-senator-says-hes-worried-about-lawfare-under-todd-blanche-who-can-only-afford-to-lose-one-more-vote\/\">Republicans<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The settlement agreement shielded the Trumps from any liability for tax violations and created a $1.776 billion \u201canti-weaponization fund\u201d that was swiftly denounced as a \u201cslush fund;&#8221; <em>Reason<\/em> magazine senior editor <strong>Jacob Sullum<\/strong> blasted it as &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/lawcrime\/reason-magazine-comes-out-swinging-against-confirming-todd-blanche-as-ag-brazenly-corrupt\/\">brazenly corrupt<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The vote on Blanche&#8217;s confirmation has not yet been officially scheduled, but seems likely <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/Politics\/blanche-meets-2-key-republican-senators-ahead-confirmation\/story?id=135406207\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">within the next few days<\/a>, ahead of the pending August recess.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/democrat-says-hell-likely-miss-a-few-votes-after-wifes-surgery-but-vows-hell-be-there-for-blanche-ag-vote\/\">Democrat Says He\u2019ll \u2018Likely Miss a Few Votes\u2019 After Wife\u2019s Surgery But Vows He\u2019ll Be There For Blanche AG Vote<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\">Mediaite<\/a>.<\/p>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tom Williams\/CQ Roll Call via AP Images A social media post by Sen. Ruben Gallego (R-AZ) saying he would &#8220;likely miss a few votes&#8221; sparked anxiety among those hoping to defeat\u00a0acting Attorney General Todd Blanche&#8217;s confirmation vote until he wrote a follow-up post reassuring that he would make sure to be present for that one&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/am13.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2025\/11\/gallego-1200x800.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30646\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}