Senate Democrats objected to the first vote, arguing that the tally was actually 11-11 because Sen. Orrin HatchOrrin Hatch'Idiots' — Senate tensions boil over Top Dems skipping White House Supreme Court roll out Overnight Finance: Dems boycott confirmation votes | Travel ban rollout dings stock surge | Trump warns drugmakers on prices MORE (R-Utah) voted by proxy.
Ranking member Patty MurrayPatty MurrayWarren offers to wager fate of DeVos nomination on Super Bowl Senate committee approves DeVos nomination Dems push to postpone vote on health secretary MORE (D-Wash.) submitted a motion to overturn HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander
Lamar AlexanderSenate committee approves DeVos nomination GOP members offer resolution to repeal 'blacklisting' labor rule Republicans who oppose, support Trump refugee order MORE’s (R-Tenn.) ruling to uphold the vote, but the motion was denied along party lines.
Alexander called another vote to approve DeVos’s nomination with Hatch present and it was advanced, 12-11.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20170201114122im_/http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumb_100/public/al_franken.jpg?itok=fCiWrpVM)
While she voted to approve DeVos in committee, Sen. Lisa MurkowskiLisa MurkowskiOvernight Energy: Zinke, Perry nominations advance | Expect drama over EPA pick Wednesday Two GOP senators still undecided on final DeVos vote Senate committee approves DeVos nomination MORE (R-Alaska) said she’s still unsure how she’ll vote when the nomination comes to the Senate floor.
But Republicans can afford a defection with a 52-seat Senate majority.
“Do note, she has not yet earned my full support,” Murkowski said during Tuesday’s hearing. “I would not advise yet that she count on my vote.”
Murkoswki's office is one of several that's been targeted by outside groups opposing the nomination and hoping to sway enough Republicans to vote against DeVos.