WASHINGTON -- White House officials and a leading Republican senator on Sunday expressed confidence that Ben Bernanke would be confirmed for a second term as Federal Reserve chairman, despite expressions of opposition from a growing number of lawmakers.

Mr. Bernanke, a former Bush administration official whose term expires on Jan. 31, has come under fire from some lawmakers over the Fed's handling of the economic crisis. While many officials and economists view Mr. Bernanke as having played a key role in staving off another...