(The Center Square) – Dan Bishop, former congressman from North Carolina and state senator before that, was confirmed 53-45 by the U.S. Senate as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget Wednesday.
Every Republican voted for him; 44 Democrats and one independent did not; and a Democrat and an independent each did not vote.
In a December statement making the nomination, President Donald Trump said, “Dan will implement my cost-cutting and deregulatory agenda across all agencies and root out the weaponized deep state.”
According to the White House website, the Office of Management and Budget has five functions across executive departments and agencies. These include but are not limited to oversight of agency performance; clearance of presidential executive orders; and development and execution of budgets.
“Congratulations to Dan Bishop, my friend, House colleague, and proud North Carolinian, on becoming the deputy director for budget at OMB,” Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., wrote on social media. “I cannot think of a better person for the job.”
Bishop’s confirmation hearing was Feb. 25 before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs led by Chairman Dr. Rand Paul, R-Ky., with Budd introducing him. He was poised when questioned by Democrats, and well-received by Republicans on the panel.
“Our government has been self-absorbed, inefficient, unaccountable, and maladministered,” Bishop said during his confirmation hearing, referring to the national debt of $36 trillion. “The good news is that we can fix all of those things, and if confirmed, I will be laser-focused on doing so, along with Director Russ Vought and the superb public servants at OMB.”
Bishop won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in a 2019 election do-over, was reelected in 2020 and 2022, and this past November lost to Democrat Jeff Jackson in the quest to be attorney general in North Carolina. The difference was just 159,549 votes of more than 5.5 million cast, with Bishop winning 76 of 100 counties and Jackson holding an upper hand in urban areas.
Not voting Wednesday were Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.
