Trump's pick for NASA chief faces an unusually tough confirmation fight

Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstine's bid to become President Donald Trump's NASA chief lives to see another day... barely.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to advance Bridenstine's nomination to the full Senate on Wednesday, however, it wasn't smooth sailing for the Republican congressman.

While 14 Republicans voted to advance Bridenstine's nomination, all 13 of the committee's Democrats opposed him.

This kind of party-line vote for a NASA administrator is somewhat unheard of in modern times. NASA's last administrator, former astronaut Charles Bolden, got the job after a unanimous vote in his favor by the full Senate.

However, the contentious vote wasn't exactly a surprise in Bridenstine's case.

Jim Bridenstine. Credit: Sue Ogrocki/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Committee Democrats grilled him during his hearing last week, pointing out that Bridenstine's history of partisan politics and scarce science experience should make everyone think critically about whether he should lead the agency tasked with taking us to space and inspiring children around the world.

"... Last week, we had a hearing on a NASA nominee that was as contentious as any nomination hearing this committee has had, and far more contentious than has been the case historically for a NASA administrator," Florida Senator Bill Nelson, who flew to space aboard a NASA space shuttle, said during his opening remarks.

Controversy surrounding Bridenstine's nomination centers around the fact that he's a conservative politician.

Bridenstine has railed against the legalization of same-sex marriage, and, in the past, he straight-up denied that climate change is human-caused, something that contradicts NASA's own research on the subject.

Via Giphy

This committee vote could also mean that Bridenstine's nomination will garner opposition when it reaches the full Senate.

If the vote again falls along party lines, Bridenstine will just barely squeak by with the job, but if Senate Democrats manage to flip some Republicans to their side -- something that Nelson at least seems to be angling for -- things could get more interesting.

Nelson quoted Republican Senator Marco Rubio during his opening statements criticizing Bridenstine:

The NASA administrator must have a strong scientific or technical background. And the NASA administrator must not be political. This is the point that my colleague Senator Rubio was making, when, after being asked about his concerns over the administration’s nomination of a politician to head NASA, he said “I just think it could be devastating for the space program.” And he said further “It’s the one federal mission which has largely been free of politics and it’s at a critical juncture in its history.”

Nelson and the 12 other Democrats on the committee think that Bridenstine's politics should disqualify him from becoming NASA administrator.

Let's see what the rest of the Senate has to say.