Live updates: Senate faces day of big votes with Blanche's nomination on the ropes

The US Senate is facing a significant challenge in confirming Todd Blanche as the permanent Attorney General. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has announced that she will oppose his nomination, citing concerns about the Trump administration's proposed fund to compensate January 6 rioters.

Murkowski's decision narrows the confirmation path for President Trump's pick, with Republicans holding a 53-47 Senate majority. However, Senator Mitch McConnell is not attending Senate sessions, which means Blanche can only afford to lose two Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him.

According to The Hill and CBS News, Murkowski's "no" vote joins Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has also said she will oppose Blanche's nomination. Senator Bill Cassidy's vote is still uncertain. Blanche previously won over the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 12-10 vote after promising to shelve the payout fund idea.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, CBS News, Associated Press — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.