Mike Pence may have to cast tie-breaking Senate vote to get controversial education pick Betsy deVos confirmed after two Republicans say they won't support her 

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Vice President Mike Pence may need to cast the deciding vote in order to confirm the nomination of Betsy deVos, President Trump's pick to run the Education Department.

The deVos nomination showed signs of trouble Wednesday when two centrist Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, announced their opposition.

Murkowski said that thousands of Alaskans had raised their concerns with the billionaire.

The Senate GOP majority is 52-48. The two defections would result in a tie, requiring Pence – who has taken a pivotal role in the administration and in Trump's transition – to cast his first official vote as president of the Senate.

The loss of a third Republican would likely kill her nomination. 

The nomination of Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary hit a big snag when two Republican senators announced their opposition to her on Wednesday

Republicans are likely to need the vote of Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick to be attorney general whose nomination has already been reported out of committee – requiring the votes to be taken in sequence.

Republicans aren't panicking. 'I expect her to be confirmed,. You can take that to the bank,' said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said his confidence level was '100 per cent.' 

Liberal groups have geared up opposition to the nomination, highlighting deVos lack of administrative experience and her support and financial backing for vouchers that allow public funds to follow students who attend private schools. Opponents have been flooding switchboards with phone calls.

MR. PRESIDENT: Vice President Mike Pence, who is president of the Senate, may have to cast a tie-breaking vote to get the deVos nomination through

AS GOES MAINE ... Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has opposed the nomination, as has Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski

CHILLY RECEPTION: Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she is voting against deVos, but voted her out of committee anyway

Supreme Court Justice nominee, Neil Gorsuch, center, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, right, meets with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. on Capitol Hill in Washington

'I have heard from thousands, truly, thousands of Alaskans who have shared their concerns about Mrs. DeVos,' Murkowski said in a floor speech Wednesday. 'I do not intend to vote on final passage to support Mrs. DeVos,' she said.

The two Republicans, however, aren't using all the tools at their disposal. They voted to advance her nomination through committee, and are not taking efforts to keep it from reaching the floor.

Nominations can pass on a simple majority vote. 

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has met with Trump, is opposed to the nomination, limiting the ability for the White House to peel off a Democrat. 

Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken blasted deVos in an interview with a local Fox affiliate. 'Hopefully I'll be able to get a couple of my Republican colleagues to vote against her, and I met with Minnesota educators yesterday who are dead set against her,' he said this week. 'She would be a terrible Secretary of Education for Minnesota and for the country.'

At her confirmation hearing, Democrats accused her of promoting policies that undermined public schools, and criticized her lack of experience in public education. Her nomination got out of committee on a 12-11 vote.

She also didn't appear to know what Franken meant when he asked her whether test scores should be used to measure 'proficiency' – mastery of certain skills – versus growth, or advancement.

Franken asked her which one school test scores should measure.

“I think if I am understanding your question correctly around proficiency, I would correlate it to competency and mastery, so each student according to the advancements they are making in each subject area,” she responded.

“That’s growth,” Franken shot back. “That’s not proficiency.” DeVos was never able to get in an answer after that. 

Murkowski and Collins would be the first Republicans to vote against a Trump nominee.