The Senate Intelligence Committee advanced former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be the next Director of National Intelligence out of committee Tuesday, meaning she will face a full Senate vote in the coming days. As expected, the vote was tight, ending with a final tally of 9-8.

As we reported, Gabbard got some good news Monday when Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), whose position on the nomination hadn’t been finalized, indicated that she would vote Gabbard not just out of committee but would be an "aye" if it went to the full floor as well.

I’m pleased that the Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence.

Once confirmed, I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to keep America safe and to bring badly needed reforms to the Office of…

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) February 4, 2025

Once confirmed, I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to keep America safe and to bring badly needed reforms to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The hearings were full of viral moments, beginning with Gabbard’s fiery opening statement. RedState’s Nick Arama covered it:

…she wasn't holding back and lit things up in her opening statement -- laying out the infamous Sen. Chuck Schumer comment about how the intelligence community has "six ways from Sunday" of getting back at you if you cross them. Then she called out "faulty or weaponized intelligence" that had been used for "too long"  and outlined a variety of instances, including the Russia collusion hoax, the 51 former intel officials' Hunter Biden laptop letter, and the CIA (under former director John Brennan) spying on Congress.

🚨Tulsi's opening statement at Confirmation Hearing

Example after example of how the Deep State has operated in the past years. pic.twitter.com/lEhYsNJis3

— The New American (@NewAmericanMag) January 30, 2025

More--> Tulsi Destroys Dems in Brutal Opening Statement, Breaks Down Shocking Misuse of Intel

Colorado Senator Loses It on Tulsi Gabbard at Hearing, Sounds Like Crazy Shrieking Guy at HOA Meeting

Democrats were especially incensed that the nominee refused to outright call accused spy Edward Snowden a “traitor.” She explained her thinking in an editorial Sunday:

Given the interest by committee members about whether Edward Snowden should be called a ‘traitor,’ here's what I shared with the Senate Intelligence Committee in the closed session about why I do not casually throw around that term: Treason is a capital offense, punishable by death, yet politicians like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former US Senator Mitt Romney have slandered me, Donald Trump Jr. and others with baseless accusations of treason.

Gabbard, who served in the Hawaii Army National Guard and is now a U.S. Army Reserve, represented Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district in the House of Representatives from 2013–2021. She shot to prominence during her 2020 presidential campaign when, running as the Democrat she was at the time, she absolutely destroyed then-candidate Kamala Harris on the debate stage. 

Ah, such fond memories:

Never forget:

Tulsi Gabbard single-handedly destroyed Kamala Harris' first presidential campaign.

Democrats have despised her ever since, which is why they are now smearing her nomination for DNI. pic.twitter.com/gWEnW8j825

— Christian Collins (@CollinsforTX) January 30, 2025

Gabbard switched to the Republican party in October ‘24 after watching the Democrats veer further and further leftward.

This isn’t a huge win yet—the full Senate vote will likely be close—but hopefully, it's a big step along the way.