Betsy DeVos Confirmed as Education Secretary

Michigan education activist Betsy DeVos was confirmed today to serve as the secretary of education in President Trump’s administration, after Vice President Mike Pence cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.

The Senate voted on DeVos’ highly contentious nomination this afternoon and the tally was split evenly, requiring Pence to use his authority as president of the upper chamber of Congress to break the impasse. This marked the first time that a vice president has broken a tie to confirm a Cabinet nominee.

Pence read the vote count 50-50 and then voted himself to break the tie, rendering a 51-50 tally.

The day before the vote, Democrats staged a 24-hour marathon of speeches, in which more than 30 lawmakers came to the floor to urge at least one additional Republican to vote against DeVos and block her confirmation.

“It is hard to imagine a worse choice,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said before she read letters from constituents urging her to vote no.

DeVos stirred up vehement opposition from teachers’ unions and all 48 Senate Democrats, all of whom say they would vote against her. Many cited concerns about her support of school vouchers, which critics believe will weaken public schools, and her lack of experience, having never attended nor worked in the public education system. Others cited her lack of familiarity with a landmark law protecting the education needs of disabled children.

The Michigan billionaire was also panned for a gaffe during her confirmation hearing, when she hedged on an answer about guns in schools by saying some states like Wyoming might need them to defend against “potential grizzlies.”

DeVos’ nomination also incited above-average negative reaction from everyday voters, who have flooded Senate phone lines and email addresses in recent weeks. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said his office received 14,000 calls about DeVos alone.

In addition to the entire Democratic caucus, two moderate Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced they would not support DeVos.

During a speech announcing her opposition to DeVos, Collins said that her focus on charters and vouchers “raises the question of whether or not she fully appreciates that the Secretary of Education’s primary focus must be on helping states and communities, parents, teachers, school board members, and administrators strengthen our public schools.”

Before today’s confirmation vote, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted on a party-line basis, 12-11, to refer DeVos’ nomination to the full Senate.

ABC News’ Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.