A pair of top Republican senators on Thursday heaped praise on former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), President Trump's top choice to become FBI director.

Sen. John McCain John Sidney McCainThe electoral reality that the media ignores Kelly's lead widens to 10 points in Arizona Senate race: poll COVID response shows a way forward on private gun sale checks MORE (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Lieberman "outstanding."

"I hope he gets chosen. He has great respect and affection from both sides of the aisle,” McCain said after leaving a closed-door meeting with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

McCain also reportedly said “screw them” when discussing Democratic lawmakers who oppose or plan to oppose Lieberman.

.@senjohnmccain to me now: "Joe Lieberman has more experience than all of my Dem. colleagues combined. So screw them. And u can quote me." — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) May 18, 2017

Sen. John Cornyn John CornynAirline job cuts loom in battleground states Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll MORE (Texas), the No. 2 Senate Republican, reportedly called Lieberman "universally well-respected" and "probably the only person who can get 100 votes in the Senate."

Cornyn was on the president’s short list to replace ousted FBI Director James Comey, but took himself out of consideration earlier this week.

Sen. Cornyn calls Joe Lieberman "universally well respected," and about the only @FBI nom who could get 100 votes in the Senate — Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) May 18, 2017

Sen. Cornyn: Joe Lieberman "probably the only person who can get 100 votes in the Senate." pic.twitter.com/mg4hZnNuno — Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) May 18, 2017

Meanwhile, Sen. Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskillDemocratic-linked group runs ads in Kansas GOP Senate primary Trump mocked for low attendance at rally Missouri county issues travel advisory for Lake of the Ozarks after Memorial Day parties MORE (D-Mo.) said she thought appointing Lieberman would be a "mistake."

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"It's a mistake to nominate anyone who's ever run for office," she told reporters.

Trump abruptly fired Comey last week, with lawmakers from both parties questioning the timing of the dismissal.

Comey was leading the FBI's investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia before he was dismissed.

On Wednesday, Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Mark Mueller as a special counsel to investigate Russian interference into the presidential election.

Rosenstein’s decision came after lawmakers called for an independent counsel to oversee the investigation following Comey's dismissal.

Trump told reporters Thursday he is “very close” to naming a new FBI director, indicating that Lieberman is his top choice.

The former Democratic-turned-Independent senator previously served as attorney general of Connecticut before entering Congress.

"I'm very close to choosing an FBI director," Trump reportedly told television news anchors at a private White House lunch Thursday morning.

Lieberman currently works at the New York-based law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres, where Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz also works.