President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE’s pick to be his next spy chief is facing a fierce political battle, injecting uncertainty into his confirmation chances.

Democrats are signaling they will oppose Rep. John Ratcliffe John Lee RatcliffeHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Bipartisan representatives demand answers on expired surveillance programs Democrats call for declassifying election threats after briefing by Trump officials MORE (R-Texas) to be the director of national intelligence, marking a change from previous nominees who have been confirmed with easy bipartisan majorities.

ADVERTISEMENT

Republicans hold a 53-47 edge in the Senate, so it would take four GOP defections with unified Democratic opposition to deny Ratcliffe’s confirmation.

That seems like a high bar for his opponents to reach, though it is notable that a number of key Republicans are not offering immediate support for Trump’s nominee.

Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Rand Paul says he can't judge 'guilt or innocence' in Breonna Taylor case Overnight Health Care: Health officials tell public to trust in science | Despair at CDC under Trump influence | A new vaccine phase 3 trial starts MORE (R-Ky.) opposed current Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats’s nomination in 2017. He hasn’t yet commented on Ratcliffe’s nomination and is one potential GOP “no” vote.

Several members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have declined to weigh in on Ratcliffe. Chairman Richard Burr Richard Mauze BurrHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Bipartisan representatives demand answers on expired surveillance programs Rep. Mark Walker says he's been contacted about Liberty University vacancy MORE (R-N.C.) said he plans to quickly move the nomination once it’s official but hasn’t offered an explicit endorsement of Ratcliffe.

Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioGOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power McConnell pushes back on Trump: 'There will be an orderly transition' Graham vows GOP will accept election results after Trump comments MORE (R-Fla.), a committee member, praised Ratcliffe as “intelligent” and having a “great background” but signaled he’d wait to weigh in on his nomination until after the confirmation process.

“It’s one of the most important jobs in the federal government, so I certainly think he’s talented enough, but for someone who is coming before a committee that I sit on, I want to go through that process before I opine,” Rubio said.

Republicans have an 8-7 majority on the Intelligence panel, meaning a single defection could cost Ratcliffe the committee vote. That would not prevent his eventual confirmation.

Ratcliffe, a three-term congressman and former federal prosecutor, has faced a wave of criticism for his dearth of intelligence credentials, and his opponents argue he lacks the experience to fulfill the role effectively. Ratcliffe sits on the House Intelligence, Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, but has limited national security experience when compared to past nominees.

Critics have also raised concerns that Ratcliffe, a staunch Trump ally, is too political for the role and will not be an unbiased steward of the nation’s intelligence, an issue guaranteed to come up during his confirmation hearing. In public comments, Ratcliffe has aligned himself closely with Trump in their criticism of former special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s now-shuttered Russia investigation.

Ratcliffe attracted more attention last week during his stern questioning of Mueller on Capitol Hill, during which he grilled the former special counsel on his report and suggested Mueller violated Justice Department rules in explicitly declining to exonerate Trump on obstruction allegations.

Trump touted Ratcliffe as “brilliant” and “wonderful” on Tuesday and expressed hope he would “rein ... in” the intelligence agencies.

“I think we need somebody like that there,” Trump said. “We need somebody strong that can really rein it in because, as I think you’ve all learned, the intelligence agencies have run amok.”

But Ratcliffe is largely an unknown quantity for the Senate Republicans he’ll need to win over in order to be confirmed.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiOVERNIGHT ENERGY: House passes sweeping clean energy bill | Pebble Mine CEO resigns over secretly recorded comments about government officials | Corporations roll out climate goals amid growing pressure to deliver The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Abortion stirs GOP tensions in Supreme Court fight MORE (R-Alaska), who has voted against other high-profile nominees, told reporters she didn’t know anything about Ratcliffe, while Sen. Mike Rounds Marion (Mike) Michael RoundsDemocrats call for declassifying election threats after briefing by Trump officials The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (R-S.D.) acknowledged that for Senate Republicans Trump’s pick was “not someone we had heard of before.”

Sen. Susan Collins Susan Margaret CollinsThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Billionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden Credit union group to spend million on Senate, House races MORE (R-Maine), a member of the Intelligence Committee, said that she had a “special interest” in who succeeds Coats as director of national intelligence because she helped write the law that created the position.

“So I feel very strongly about this position and the importance of having someone with the integrity and skill and ability to bring all of the members of the intelligence together,” she said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power MORE (R-Ky.) sidestepped directly offering support for Ratcliffe on Tuesday, saying he didn’t know the congressman.

“Generally speaking, I would lean toward the president’s nominees,” he said. “[But] I would rather not address that until I’ve actually had the chance to meet him and discuss his background and qualifications.”

Sen. John Cornyn John CornynQuinnipiac polls show Trump leading Biden in Texas, deadlocked race in Ohio The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Texas), a member of the Intelligence Committee and adviser to McConnell, argued that the near-instantaneous opposition to Ratcliffe among Democrats was based largely on broader opposition to Trump.

“I think it’s unfair to the nominee, but it’s not really about him, it’s about the president, as most of these votes are,” he said.

Asked if he was worried Ratcliffe’s nomination would turn into a fight, he knocked Democrats, saying it “sounds like they’ve already drawn that line.”

If confirmed, Ratcliffe, who has not officially been nominated, would be the sixth Senate-approved director of national intelligence since the position was created as part of an intelligence reform law in 2004.

Coats, who is stepping down on Aug. 15 and was previously a Republican senator from Indiana, was approved by the Intelligence Committee in a 13-2 vote and by the full Senate 85-12. His predecessors, James Clapper James Robert ClapperOn China, Biden is no Nixon — and no Trump The Hill's 12:30 Report - Speculation over Biden's running mate announcement Trump slams former intelligence officials to explain 'reluctance to embrace' agencies MORE and Dennis Blair, were confirmed by the Senate unanimously. John Negroponte, the first director of national intelligence, was confirmed 98-2.

Ratcliffe’s vote is likely to be much closer, and more in line with other more recent nominees.

Trump’s picks for secretary of State, Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE and Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPutin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Pompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election MORE, both faced historically high levels of opposition to their nominations, while Gina Haspel Gina Cheri HaspelCIA letting less intelligence on Russia reach Trump: report Russian bounties revive Trump-GOP foreign policy divide Overnight Defense: House panel votes to ban Confederate flag on all Pentagon property | DOD report says Russia working to speed US withdrawal from Afghanistan | 'Gang of Eight' to get briefing on bounties Thursday MORE, a career intelligence official, was narrowly confirmed as CIA director.

“It is going to be different. I tell you, you’re already hearing from a lot of professionals, intelligence professionals, that this nominee doesn’t have the background, the experience or the skill,” said Sen. Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Feinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat.

ADVERTISEMENT

Durbin, who voted to confirm Coats, knocked Ratcliffe on Tuesday, saying that “a couple of appearances on Fox TV doesn’t qualify a man to head up the intelligence agencies of the United States.”

Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.), who voted for Coats, called Ratcliffe a “partisan shill,” while Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Abortion stirs GOP tensions in Supreme Court fight MORE (D-Calif.), a former chairwoman and current member of the Intelligence Committee, said Ratcliffe “appears to lack the experience needed for the job.”

“Congressman Ratcliffe has served for four years in the House and was mayor of a small town in Texas. This isn’t a learn-as-you-go position and shouldn’t be given out to political supporters,” she added.

Even Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinSenate passes resolution reaffirming commitment to peaceful transition of power Hopes for DC, Puerto Rico statehood rise Manchin defends Supreme Court candidate Barrett: 'It's awful to bring in religion' MORE (D-W.Va.), who supported other controversial Trump nominees, signaled that he has concerns about Ratcliffe based on what he’s read so far.

“I don’t know the gentleman. I really don’t. ... [But] my information tells me he would be the wrong person for that job,” Manchin said, “being that partisan, being that contentious.”