Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on the nomination of Rep. Debra Haaland, D-N.M., to be Secretary of the Interior on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021.
Manchin, a moderate from West Virginia, had been publicly undecided through two days of hearings on Haaland's nomination by President Joe Biden.
By contrast, Manchin said Haaland had earned his vote, despite disagreements over drilling on federal lands and the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
AdāI believe Deb Haaland will be a secretary of the Interior for every American and will vote to confirm her,'' Manchin said in a statement.
Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican who is not on the energy panel, called Haaland āa neo-socialist, left-of-Lenin whack job.''