GOP senator faces intraparty criticism after saying he is ‘struggling’ with RFK Jr’s confirmation

The top Republican on the Senate health committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., faced criticism from fellow Republicans after he suggested his vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary is not a lock. 

Cassidy, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said during closing remarks at Kennedy’s second confirmation hearing of the week that he was “struggling” to confirm the HHS secretary nominee over his inability to admit vaccines are safe and don’t cause autism. “A worthy movement called ‘MAHA,’” Cassidy said Thursday, “to improve the health of Americans, or to undermine it, always asking for more evidence, and never accepting the evidence that is there … That is why I’ve been struggling with your nomination.” 

GOP Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., did not hold back his anger over Cassidy’s remarks, saying, “RFK is going to run HHS whether you like it or not.” The post included a photo of Cassidy and Kennedy shaking hands at Thursday’s confirmation hearing.

TOP REPUBLICAN ON SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE SAYS HE’S ‘STRUGGLING’ TO CONFIRM RFK JR

“The Senate is ours, and the moment Trump decides he’s had enough of random senators delaying our mission, JD [Vance] is walking in and taking the gavel as president of the Senate,” Higgins said. Vice President JD Vance would be the tie-breaking vote if the resulting tally goes along party lines and Cassidy and two other Republicans defect. Vance did so after GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine voted against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nomination.     

“There’s zero you can do about that,” Higgins said. “We, the people, will not be stopped. We’re saving the country and RFK is part of the formula. So, vote your conscience, senator, or don’t. Either way, we’re watching.”

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GOP organizer and strategist Scott Presler said that if Cassidy did not vote for Kennedy, that he would “personally come to Louisiana” to organize a primary challenge against Cassidy in an effort to oust him. “We already have a home base in Iberia Parish,” Pressler said. Meanwhile, a chapter of the Louisiana Republican Assembly replied to Pressler’s threats, noting they were “ready to mobilize when needed.”

Charlie Kirk, another GOP organizer and activist who is also a close ally of President Donald Trump, shared a slightly more measured condemnation of Cassidy. “I believe this was a sincere moment from Chairman Bill Cassidy,” Kirk wrote in response to the senator’s closing remarks at Thursday’s hearing. However, Kirk added that he “respectfully” thinks that Cassidy “has this backwards.”

“Many already don’t trust vaccine manufacturers who enjoy legal immunity for any injuries they cause. Many already don’t trust our big food producers and the ingredients they use. Many already don’t trust big medicine, big hospitals, or big pharma,” Kirk said. “RFK Jr. has said repeatedly he’s pro-vaccine, but he’s willing to ask the same questions millions of parents are asking right now about ramped-up vaccine schedules, harmful ingredients, and a blind trust in the manufacturers that are enriched by government mandates, even after COVID.”

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While Republicans were incensed by Cassidy’s remarks, the president of Advancing American Freedom (AAF), a conservative nonprofit founded by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence, applauded Cassidy’s critical approach to Kennedy’s nomination.

“It’s refreshing to see senators taking their advise and consent role seriously,” AAF President Tim Chapman said when asked about Cassidy’s comments. “We have separate branches of government for a reason, and nominees, such as RFK, who will be handling the largest amount of taxpayer dollars and controlling the federal response to the life issue deserve serious consideration. Every senator must treat this nominee with the same gravitas that Sen. Cassidy is.”

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Cassidy but did not receive a response by publication time.