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Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa has seemingly warmed up to Pete Hegseth, the nominee to head the Department of Defense, despite hesitating behind closed doors to back him.

Ernst and Hegseth met for the second time on Monday after initially meeting last week. Following the first meeting, Ernst said the two had a “frank and thorough conversation” but refrained from formally endorsing him.

Ernst, who has spent a large part of her career advocating for victims of sexual assault in the military, was initially thought to oppose Hegseth’s nominations due to the allegations surrounding his personal life, ranging from sexual misconduct to irresponsible drinking habits. Notably, Hegseth has denied the allegations, with many of his coworkers publicly coming to his defense.

‘As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.’

In addition, multiple sources close to the Senate confirmed to Blaze News that Ernst was lobbying against Hegseth because she serves as a “useful proxy” for the old guard Senate Republicans like former leader Mitch McConnell.

Despite her past hesitancies, Ernst seems to have publicly come around to the nomination after her second meeting with Hegseth.

“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement following their meeting on Monday, according to Business Insider.

“Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women – based on quality and standards, not quotas – and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assaults within the ranks,” Ernst continued.

Hegseth can only afford to lose three votes during his Senate confirmation, assuming Vice President-elect JD Vance participates in the vote. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and McConnell are being weighed as potential no-votes in unofficial tallies, making Ernst the tie breaker.

“As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources,” Ernst said.

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