The Senate on Wednesday advanced the nomination of former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) to become the next U.S. ambassador to India, with Republicans crossing the aisle to help tee him up for a final confirmation vote later in the day.

The vote, which required a simple majority to pass, came down to the wire as some Democrats declared last-minute opposition while a handful of Republicans announced votes for Garcetti. Just an hour before the vote, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) wasn’t sure how the vote would turn out.

The Senate ultimately voted 52-42 to pave the way for Garcetti to be confirmed to the vacant post as the top diplomat with one of the U.S.’s top strategic partners.

Seven Senate Republicans voted to advance Garcetti’s nomination: Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), Susan Collins (Maine), Steve Daines (Mont.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Roger Marshall (Kan.) and Todd Young (Ind.).

Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) voted alongside 39 Republicans against the nod.

“It’s in our national security interest to have an ambassador immediately in place in India in order to balance China, work with the U.S. throughout the Indo-Pacific,” Young said last week about why he is backing Garcetti. “He has an imperfect resume, but the skills to succeed in this capacity.”

The White House tapped Garcetti for the post in July 2021, but his nomination has been held up due to questions surrounding his handling of sexual harassment claims against an aide during his time as mayor. Garcetti has repeatedly denied that he had any knowledge of the allegations. 

One former top Garcetti aide on Tuesday said that he is “unfit” to fill the ambassadorship. 

“He is unfit to become an ambassador or really to hold public office anywhere in this country or this world,” Naomi Seligman, Garcetti’s former communications director, told CNN.

President Biden had to renominate him to the post earlier this year after his initial nomination expired at the end of the 117th Congress. 

When pressed about his nomination last week, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Garcetti is “well qualified to serve in this vital role.”

“The president nominated him because he thought he had the experience to be the U.S. ambassador to India,” Jean-Pierre said.