WASHINGTON — 

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after a bipartisan majority in the Senate voted to confirm Mike Pompeo as secretary of state.

“I’m glad the Senate voted to confirm Mike Pompeo as our next secretary of state, despite many Senate Democrats’ risky partisan attempts to obstruct his nomination to score political points with the far left of their base. As the director of the CIA, a former member of Congress, and graduate of West Point and Harvard Law School, Director Pompeo is beyond qualified to serve as our nation’s top diplomat. At a time when our country faces a wide range of global threats, I have the utmost confidence that he will continue to help lead the United States in the right direction.”