Potential nominees usually choose their words with extreme care. But this week a conservative activist said to be President Donald Trump’s likely foreign envoy for women's issues lashed out at two Senate Republicans who would have a major say in her confirmation.

Democrats are already preparing to fight the expected nomination of Penny Young Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, to be Trump's ambassador-at-large for global women's issues. But they hope her recent Twitter swipes at GOP Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake — whom she likened to a “middle school girl” — could kill her chances of a nomination.


A congressional aide said that Nance is being considered for the ambassador's job, and a second congressional aide as well outside activists report hearing the same. The possibility has alarmed Democrats who say she is too fringe for a position that can address issues ranging from women in the workforce to family planning.

Nance's organization is a Christian non-profit whose online mission statement says it "protects and promotes Biblical values and Constitutional principles through prayer, education, and advocacy."

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Nance herself has been a strong opponent of abortion and gay rights. She has written a book titled “Feisty and Feminine: A Rallying Cry for Conservative Women.” She has also claimed the movie “Frozen” sends a harmful message about the role of men in society.

Nance did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

During the 2016 campaign, Nance said she had concerns about Trump’s personal behavior but would support him in part because she wanted a Republican president to appoint Supreme Court justices. But she has defended Trump vigorously — most recently against Flake and Corker, whose questioning of Trump's fitness to serve in the Oval Office has infuriated the president.

“Wow today is a day for self righteous indignation on #CapitolHill & around #DC @JeffFlake @BobCorker," Nance tweeted Tuesday, the day Flake said he would not seek re-election and denounced Trump on the Senate floor. She added: "Feel free to resign immediately."

Nance went after Flake again on Twitter the next day, tweeting that he “sounded like a middle school girl.”

Corker is the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which reviews ambassador nominees. Flake also sits on the panel, where a one-seat GOP majority means even a single Republican defection can kill a diplomatic nomination.

Democrats have been girding for an effort to keep Nance from assuming the diplomatic post.

“We are aware of multiple concerns about Penny Nance’s possible nomination,” one of the congressional aides, a Senate Democratic staffer. “Extreme doesn’t begin to explain some of her policy positions, beliefs and past statements. The administration should think twice about nominating her.”

In a 2015 Fox News interview, Nance argued that American culture often contains anti-male messages.

“Hollywood in general has often sent the message that men are stupid, in the way, and if they contribute anything to the family, it’s a paycheck,” Nance said. “The question for us as moms is when we bring our daughters to see Frozen, or whatever the movie is, we often have our little boys sitting there, and is this message helpful? We want them to know that they’re essential. We want to raise heroes. We want to raise real men that will stick in their families and be great dads and be great providers and great husbands.”

In 2009, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named Melanne Verveer as the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. Her successor until this year was Catherine Russell, a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee adviser and Justice Department official.

The job's duties include pushing for greater integration of gender equity in the State Department’s work.

Asked if Nance is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s first choice for the ambassadorial role, the State Department referred POLITICO to the White House.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did the offices of Flake or Corker.

Congressional aides said it's possible Nance will not be tapped if the White House learns of her recent tweets.

As word has spread of Nance’s potential nomination, some activists have begun to speak out against her.

"Her experience and her track record don't demonstrate a commitment to gender equality," said Heather Higginbottom, chief operating officer of CARE USA, an anti-poverty organization largely focused on women and girls. "She should not be the U.S. government's ambassador on these issues to the world."

Dawn Laguens, executive vice president for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, added: “The millions of vulnerable women and girls across the globe deserve an ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues who will support and respect them, not an ideologue who is actively complicit in undermining their human rights.”

Gay rights groups also are worried. “Her organization has attacked anti-bullying efforts, essentially giving bullies a green light to attack LGBTQ kids and other vulnerable children,” said JoDee Winterhof of the Human Rights Campaign.

In the final days of the 2016 campaign and during the presidential transition period, Nance acted as an eager surrogate for Trump on television and tried to build support for him among conservative women.

Since the inauguration, her profile has only risen. At a recent small dinner with social conservatives at the White House, Nance sat to the right of the president and asked questions of him, according to one attendee.

Much of Nance’s work focuses on issues dear to women on the right.

She has worked behind-the-scenes with Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and adviser, to help her find support for one of her causes: expanding the child tax credit. Concerned Women for America has long supported the credit dating back to the mid-1990s.

In early October, Nance told POLITICO that she and Ivanka Trump “agreed to work together to again increase the child tax credit in order to allow families to keep more of their own money and to free up their ability to invest in their children."

Nancy Cook contributed to this report.

