Panel approves Carter for Defense secretary

The Senate Armed Services Committee voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of Ashton Carter’s nomination for secretary of Defense.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the panel’s chairman, said he hopes Carter would be confirmed by the full Senate soon, perhaps as early as Wednesday.

Carter, a former deputy Defense secretary, faced no opposition to his nomination, unlike current Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, whose confirmation vote on the committee split along party lines.

In a sign of Carter’s popularity, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) requested a voice vote, so he could go on record as backing his nomination.

Carter testified last week that he was “inclined” toward arming Ukraine and would be open to modifying the drawdown in Afghanistan, if conditions were to worsen there.

If confirmed, Carter would be President Obama’s fourth Defense secretary, following Robert Gates, Leon Panetta and Hagel.