Biden’s Labor Department Nominee Fails to Advance in Senate After Democrats Vote With GOP

Two Democratic lawmakers joined with Republicans to vote against advancing President Joe Biden’s nominee to serve as assistant secretary of the Labor Department on Nov. 28. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined Republicans in a 44 to 51 vote that stalled the nomination of José Javier Rodriguez on the Senate floor. Four Democrats were absent from the vote. Democrats only hold a slim 51–49 majority in the Senate, meaning they cannot afford two votes against the nomination. A spokesperson for Mr. Manchin told Politico that the lawmaker voted against advancing Mr. Rodriguez’s nomination because “he has concerns about his political activism and lack of experience.”...