The Senate Armed Services Committee deadlocked Wednesday with a 13-13 vote on whether to advance Colin Kahl’s nomination as undersecretary of defense for policy, Politico reports.

The party-line vote does not mean his confirmation hopes are over. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) could still use procedural moves to bring the nomination to the Senate floor, where another tight vote would be expected. Some Democrats have not said how they would vote on the nomination, which would not come to the floor until mid-April at the earliest.

Republicans appear unified against his confirmation, expressing concerns over his past tweets and his role in the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal.

“We all agree that he has neither the disposition nor judgment to serve in this critical position at this critical time,” the committee’s top Republican, James Inhofe (Okla.), said in a rare joint statement issued after the vote by all 13 Republican members of the committee.

Still, Biden officials said they look forward to his confirmation.

“Colin is qualified, he’s experienced, and he would bring an incredible reservoir of perspective to the job,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.

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