Republican senators rallied around former Representative Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to become director of national intelligence before a key committee vote on Tuesday, increasing the chances that the full U.

After Gabbard faced a public questioning, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted to send her to a full Senate vote for confirmation.

Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead U.S. intelligence agencies, escaped from a close committee ballot and heads to a full Senate vote.