U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been confirmed as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.Senate vote MondayThat Senate voted 54-45, finalizing his confirmation process on Monday evening. He only required a simple majority in the Senate, wrapping up the process less than three weeks after President Donald Trump announced Mullin as his pick to replace Sec. Kristi Noem. “I want to protect the homeland. I want to bring peace of mind. I want to bring confidence back to the agency,” Mullin said during a committee hearing on his confirmation last Wednesday. He is set to begin his role after Noem leaves the position on March 31. Mullin faced pushback from Republican during processFellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against Mullin’s confirmation on Monday. Paul said last week that Mullin supported a 2017 attack against him and claimed the Oklahoma senator had anger issues. He voted against advancing his nomination out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which Paul is the chair of. “You told the media that I was a ‘freaking snake’ and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted,” Paul, a Kentucky senator, said. “Just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.” Senators advanced his nomination 54-37 in a procedural vote on Sunday. Nine senators opted out of voting, including Paul. >> Video Below: Sen. Rand Paul questions if Markwayne Mullin has ‘anger issues’ after past disagreements Democrats support MullinDemocratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico crossed party lines to approve Mullin’s nomination Monday. The senators also voted to advance Mullin’s nomination Sunday, and they were the only two Democrats to do so. >> Video Below: Senate committee votes to advance Markwayne Mullin’s nomination as DHS leadThis comes as the Department of Homeland Security is shutdown. Lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement on Capitol Hill. What happens to Mullin’s Senate seat? Now that Mullin is confirmed to Trump’s cabinet, this will trigger a major shift in Oklahoma’s representation on Capitol Hill. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has been working with Trump to find the right person to fill Mullin’s seat in the Senate until a November election. He is scheduled to make that announcement at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in a news conference. More Markwayne Mullin Headlines:

U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been confirmed as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Senate vote Monday

That Senate voted 54-45, finalizing his confirmation process on Monday evening.

He only required a simple majority in the Senate, wrapping up the process less than three weeks after President Donald Trump announced Mullin as his pick to replace Sec. Kristi Noem.

“I want to protect the homeland. I want to bring peace of mind. I want to bring confidence back to the agency,” Mullin said during a committee hearing on his confirmation last Wednesday.

He is set to begin his role after Noem leaves the position on March 31.

Mullin faced pushback from Republican during process

Fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted against Mullin’s confirmation on Monday.

Paul said last week that Mullin supported a 2017 attack against him and claimed the Oklahoma senator had anger issues. He voted against advancing his nomination out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which Paul is the chair of.

“You told the media that I was a ‘freaking snake’ and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted,” Paul, a Kentucky senator, said. “Just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.”

Senators advanced his nomination 54-37 in a procedural vote on Sunday. Nine senators opted out of voting, including Paul.

>> Video Below: Sen. Rand Paul questions if Markwayne Mullin has ‘anger issues’ after past disagreements

Democrats support Mullin

Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico crossed party lines to approve Mullin’s nomination Monday. The senators also voted to advance Mullin’s nomination Sunday, and they were the only two Democrats to do so.

>> Video Below: Senate committee votes to advance Markwayne Mullin’s nomination as DHS lead

This comes as the Department of Homeland Security is shutdown. Lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement on Capitol Hill.

What happens to Mullin’s Senate seat?

Now that Mullin is confirmed to Trump’s cabinet, this will trigger a major shift in Oklahoma’s representation on Capitol Hill.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has been working with Trump to find the right person to fill Mullin’s seat in the Senate until a November election. He is scheduled to make that announcement at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in a news conference.

More Markwayne Mullin Headlines: