This is an opinion column

Somewhere down I-65 nestled in the loblolly pines, I can already envision the new sign, “Confirm Trump nominees, or the Tuberville will get you!” Alabama’s senior senator, emboldened by Republican success, has already declared that “President Trump and JD Vance are going to be running the Senate.” The dust hasn’t even settled on Trump’s construction of the Republican Party’s new big tent coalition, and Tuberville is ready to throw people out.

Give Tuberville his due. At a time where political leadership is measured in terms of the fire a politician exhales, Tuberville is paying attention to Alabama’s voters and responding in kind:

I’ve already seen where a couple of them says, ‘I’m not voting for him.’ Wait a minute — you are not the United States of America. You have one vote in the U.S. Senate. You did not get elected the president. Vote with President Trump. This is the last chance we’re gonna have of saving this country. And if you wanna get in the way, fine. But we’re gonna try to get you out of the Senate, too, if you try to do that.

I agree with Tuberville, that senators should not drag their feet and “get in the way” of presidential nominees. At the same time senators have a constitutional function that’s distinct from the president.

Tuberville has utilized that prerogative frequently to reject President Joe Biden’s nominees. He was correct to do so. The people of Alabama would toss Tuberville out with the rest of the swamp water if he offered his “advice and consent” in support of questionable Biden nominees. As Tuberville mentioned, he indeed has one vote in the U.S. Senate. His thoughts on nominees before the Senate matter deeply regardless of who happens to be president.

The whole point of the Senate’s confirmation function is to help the president pick the most qualified and competent people to lead the nation. This isn’t a contest to figure out who is the more popular politician. Trump and the Senate Republicans didn’t run against each other. They won on their own merit, and they all should be working to assist each other.

Trump’s announced nominees will indeed have a disruptive impact on the federal government. They should. If America wanted more of the same, Vice President Kamala Harris was on the ticket carrying the torch for the status quo. None of that means Republican senators should rubber stamp every Trump nominee and refuse to raise glaring concerns. After all, they were elected too.

Voters who back Trump know that he doesn’t cave to political pressure. He does what he thinks he should and lets the cards fall where they may. He’s not the only one who does it. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp stood against Trump’s political attacks, beat a primary challenge, and remains wildly popular. Why? Because he wasn’t running against Trump like the Democrats. He was trying to do his job well in spite of political pressure to the contrary. Americans crave authentic leadership and can smell a partisan boot licker from a mile away.

Trump’s nomination of former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for United States Attorney General is a test to see which politicians will scurry like rats when the lights come on, and which senators will operate independently. Senators willing to suggest that Trump consider Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Mike Lee, or a host of other MAGA-aligned, qualified attorneys earn Trump’s respect. The ones who tuck their tail between their legs and start singing Gaetz’s praises when they know better should probably just hand Trump their Senate vote and take a vacation. Florida seems nice this time of year.

The Constitution expects an exchange between the president and senators about his nominees. It should be quite public. Republican senators must have a damn good reason to push back on Trump’s nominees, but Tuberville’s contention that senators shouldn’t exercise independent judgment is at odds with our Constitution.

Just like Trump, Tuberville listens to his gut. If he believes every nominee is what America needs, he should vote to confirm and not look back. He also has a job to do. The old ball coach wasn’t elected to be a cheerleader. The Constitution says the president needs his advice and consent. His other 99 colleagues must offer the same.

Republicans deserve a victory lap. We shouldn’t trample on the Constitution in the process.

Smith is a recovering political attorney with four boys, two dogs, a bearded dragon, and an extremely patient wife. He’s a partner in a media company, a business strategy wonk, and a regular on talk radio. Please direct outrage or agreement to [email protected] or @DCameronSmith on X or @davidcameronsmith on Threads.