For Senate Republicans, the question of the day is not if, but when, President Donald Trump pulls the plug on Ronny Jackson.

GOP support for the Veterans Affairs nominee has cratered in the face of allegations of misconduct as White House physician. Jackson already faced serious doubts over his lack of management experience. At this point, it would take a miraculous comeback by Jackson to survive at least two more weeks of scrutiny and growing discomfort among Republican senators over his nomination.


With Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) absent, the party controls 50 seats, meaning that only one Republican in opposition could derail Jackson’s nomination if Democrats unite in opposition to him. Any corroboration of whistleblower accusations — from crashing a government car while drunk to abusing his power to prescribe pills — will be enough to publicly sink the nomination.

The nomination, said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), is “very unlikely” to go forward.

“All of us had questions before any of these recent allegations just on experience and qualifications,” Flake said. Asked how Jackson could be confirmed, he replied: “You tell me.”

“We don’t even know if they’re true or if it’s just somebody trying to derail this nomination,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said of the allegations against Jackson, which he has denied. “But if there is any sort of implication of wrongdoing, then I likely won’t be supportive.”

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But the GOP concern goes even deeper. Three Republican senators, granted anonymity, said they want the White House to withdraw the nomination immediately, calling it a self-inflicted wound that will only get worse with time.

On Wednesday, things got worse for Jackson. According to summaries of interviews with nearly two dozen current and former colleagues of Jackson released by Senate Democrats on Wednesday, he drunkenly wrecked a government vehicle, was abusive toward underlings and improperly prescribed pills to White House staff.

Republican senators wanted to know why the administration wasn’t aware of those problems in Jackson’s background weeks ago so senators and White House officials could mount an effective defense of him. And Republicans are confounded that the White House hasn’t withdrawn Jackson’s nomination after whistleblowers came to the Veterans' Affairs Committee with the charges.

“They should make a decision this week,” said one Republican senator. “And I hope they pick someone who has a management background.”

The top White House legislative aide came to Jackson’s defense on Wednesday evening after the latest allegations were aired.

“We’re standing behind Jackson,” said Marc Short. “This environment is so politically charged right now it’s hard for me to ever be completely confident in our nominees … but that’s not a reflection of Dr. Jackson.”

A second Republican senator said: “I don’t think anybody knows him. It’s not like you’ve got somebody who’s got a lot of history, who’s built a lot of relationships over the years around here. My sense is there are problems. ... I think [Republicans] are going to begin communicating that to the White House.”

Even if Jackson somehow survives an avalanche of bad headlines and the scrutiny of a Senate investigation, his nomination would be tainted by any opposition. No Veterans Affairs secretary has ever received a single negative vote, according to congressional records.

Jackson was on Capitol Hill again Wednesday making his case, meeting with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and vowing repeatedly that he will continue to move forward in the confirmation process. But some Republicans are uncertain whether Jackson will ultimately subject himself to a brutal confirmation process for a job seen as among the most difficult in government.

“We have to wait to see whether he decides to pursue the nomination,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Outwardly, the White House is pressing ahead. And Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said Jackson will get his day in committee. He did not respond to the document released by Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, the top Democrat on the committee.

“I’m not going to make an editorial comment one way or the other,” Isakson said of Jackson’s future. “I’m just not going to be unfair to the nominee or unfair to the members of the committee or unfair to the American people or the president of the United States, either. He deserves a hearing, and he’s going to get it.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday praised Jackson’s record as White House physician as “impeccable” and said he’d “received more vetting than most nominees” due to his high-profile post. But she added that the White House is "continuing to look at the situation."

Yet in the Senate, no one is predicting Jackson will be confirmed, and no Republicans have stepped up in his defense. It’s a grim outlook considering that a number of senior Republicans rallied around the last embattled Cabinet nominee, Andy Puzder, who later dropped out.

“It doesn’t do anybody any good to have it hanging out there for a long time, so I hope the concerns will be addressed quickly, and I think that would be best for everybody involved,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), who had defended Puzder. “I don’t think somebody ought to have their career destroyed over anonymous accusations."

As Jackson’s nomination lingers, Isakson’s committee will continue sifting through the allegations against him. The panel has asked for 12 years' worth of records, and they have not yet been received, Isakson said.

In the meantime, scrutiny of Jackson is bound to intensify.

"I’ve got to find out the facts. It can’t be death by hearsay," said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a member of the VA Committee. "But these are important allegations. So you’ve got to figure it out.”

Elana Schor and Matthew Nussbaum contributed to this report.