Late Friday night, the Senate was in a deadlock over the confirmation of Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s pick for defense secretary. Vice President JD Vance had to step in to break the tie, but not before three Republican senators made headlines by voting against their party’s nominee.

The trio included Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and former Senate leader Mitch McConnell. For those who keep up with Capitol Hill, this wasn’t exactly a shocker. Murkowski and Collins have earned a reputation as moderates, often siding with Democrats on key issues. Both famously voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2017 and supported Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation.

McConnell, on the other hand, has become increasingly critical of Trump in recent years, even calling him “practically and morally responsible” for the January 6 Capitol attack. Despite endorsing Trump’s campaign last year, McConnell hadn’t spoken to the former president in nearly four years.

While allegations of personal misconduct against Hegseth—ranging from sexual assault to financial mismanagement—loomed over the nomination, none of the three senators cited these as their primary reasons for voting against him. Instead, they focused on his lack of managerial experience and, in Murkowski and Collins’ case, his controversial comments about women in combat roles. Murkowski also expressed concern about his past infidelity, calling it a “lack of judgment.”

McConnell took a broader stance, arguing that Hegseth didn’t demonstrate the national security expertise needed for the role. He also dismissed the idea that Hegseth’s military background would restore a “warrior culture” in the U.S. military, stating, “The restoration of ‘warrior culture’ will not come from trading one set of culture warriors for another.”

This vote could signal broader opposition to other Trump nominees, including Tulsi Gabbard for national security adviser and Kash Patel for FBI director. For now, these three senators have made their stance clear—sometimes, party loyalty takes a backseat to personal conviction.