U.S. President Donald Trump reacts during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Oval Office of the White House, amid negotiations to end the Russian war in Ukraine, in Washington, D.C., U

A Republican senator may be the swing vote that sinks a high‑stakes confirmation. Ron Johnson (R‑Wis.) said Monday the White House should withdraw the nomination of Paul Ingrassia to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

“I hope that happens," he told HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic.

Johnson’s stance raises the prospect that this 15-member Senate panel – with 8 Republicans and 7 Democrats – could block the nominee’s path forward. He serves on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is scheduled to hold hearings for Ingrassia this week. Assuming Johnson votes no with all Democrats, Ingrassia's nomination would fail to move to the full Senate.

President Donald Trump tapped Ingrassia, a 30‑year‑old lawyer and former conservative podcast host, for the OSC role in late May. The agency oversees protections for federal whistleblowers and ensures enforcement of the Hatch Act (which prohibits government officials from using their official powers to conduct partisan political activities).

Critics have raised serious concerns over her nomination.

Ingrassia was admitted to the bar in July 2024, giving him only limited experience compared to past OSC chiefs. He has also been linked to far‑right figures and made public statements that alarm watchdog groups. Politico reported Monday on leaked texts in which Ingrassia used racial slurs with fellow Republicans and called for holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Kwanzaa to be "eviscerated."

Democrats on the committee, including Richard Blumenthal (D‑Conn.), have privately acknowledged “some sense of dismay” among Republican colleagues, per the Washington Post.

In July, Blumenthal said this may be “one of those nominations where Republicans have a hard time keeping their majority together.”