Historically, the Senate has confirmed most presidential nominations, but “in rare instances” a vote to confirm a major appointment has failed on the Senate floor.
At this writing, the Senate has rejected only nine of a president’s Cabinet nominations. Four were made by embattled Whig-turned-Independent John Tyler in 1843 and 1844, including choices for secretary of war and treasury secretary.
In 1834, Democrat Andrew Jackson became the first president to lose a major confirmation fight when the Senate rejected his recess appointment of Roger Taney as treasury secretary by a vote of 28-18.
In 1868, the Senate rejected Democrat Andrew Johnson’s nomination of Henry Stanbery as attorney general, 29-11. Stanbery sought to regain the post after resigning to defend Johnson in his impeachment trial.
In the past 100 years, the Senate has rejected three nominations, all from Republican presidents:
Rejected Nominees
1925
Calvin Coolidge’s choice of Charles Warren for attorney general, by votes of 41-39 and 46-39.
1959
Dwight Eisenhower’s choice of Lewis Strauss for commerce secretary, by a vote of 49-46.
1989
George H.W. Bush’s choice of former Sen. John Tower, R-Texas, for defense secretary, by a vote of 53-47.
Another 13 Cabinet nominations were withdrawn from Senate consideration, 10 of them because of political dustups under the past three presidents. In the first such actions since 1868, five of Bill Clinton’s nominees withdrew or were withdrawn in the 1990s. Two of George W. Bush’s nominees withdrew, in 2001 and 2004, followed by three of Barack Obama’s, all in 2009.
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Political Process
https://www.heritage.org/political-process/heritage-explains/the-confirmation-process-presidential-appointees
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