Robbie Gramer and Dan de Luce report on Pompeo’s upcoming confirmation battle:

If all committee Democrats and Paul vote against Pompeo, it will be the first time in modern history a secretary of state nominee moves to a Senate-wide vote without the approval of the foreign relations committee.

Pompeo’s nomination hearing before the Senate foreign relations committee hasn’t been formally scheduled, but several Senate aides say they expect it to take place as soon as April 11.

A bruising confirmation battle could mar his tenure as secretary of state right out of the gate.

Pompeo would be a dangerous addition to the Cabinet, and it would be excellent if his nomination could be derailed. If enough senators view Pompeo’s confirmation hearing as an opportunity to register their opposition to Trump’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy, it is remotely possible that Pompeo might not be confirmed. At the very least, the Foreign Relations Committee should make Pompeo’s confirmation as difficult as it can. Pompeo’s own record is certainly fair game, but the hearing should also be used to question and challenge administration policies on Yemen, Syria, Iran, North Korea, and elsewhere.

Senators should make a point of asking Pompeo about his hostility to the nuclear deal and his evident contempt for diplomatic engagement overall. It is absurd that someone with so little interest in diplomacy has been nominated to lead the State Department, and the FRC members ought to make clear to the public just how absurd it is.