Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who had been seen as a key Republican skeptic of Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department, said she will support him after his performance at Tuesday’s confirmation hearing.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa announced on Tuesday that she would be voting for Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth—bringing one of the chamber’s last remaining Republican skeptics into line and significantly raising the former Fox News host and Army veteran’s chances of being confirmed.

The Iowa Republican’s decision dramatically increases the likelihood that Mr. Hegseth will have enough votes to be confirmed as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s defense secretary.

Ernst, an Army veteran and rape survivor, had previously expressed concerns over Hegseth’s past comments about women in combat roles and the allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against

Joni Ernst had been seen as a key hurdle to Pete Hegseth’s confirmation. She approached her questions firmly but without confrontation Tuesday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa Senator Joni Ernst could be the key to securing Pete Hegseth’s path to Secretary of Defense. But the Trump-nominated veteran and former TV host has no shortage of controversy in his past. As for Ernst, there are number of reasons why her vote could be the difference.

Ernst previously expressed an openness to supporting Hegseth after she had "encouraging conversations" with him last month, but held off on officially endorsing him until after the hearing.

Stonewalling questions about his sexual behavior and excessive drinking as “anonymous smears,” the Fox host charmed the Senate Armed Services Committee’s GOP majority into submission.

Pete Hegseth’s views on women in combat were a matter of public record long before the Senate Armed Services Committee heard his case to become Donald Trump’s Defense secretary. Women are “life-givers,

Combat veteran and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth is among President-elect Trump's more controversial cabinet nominees.

For a week in early December, it looked like Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was cooked. Too many stories alleging womanizing, sexual assault, and drinking on the job were coming in,