The nomination of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education, cleared a final procedural hump early this morning as the Senate voted along party lines to end debate on the subject.

From Washington reporter Jamie Dupree:

While two Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are ready to vote against DeVos, they stuck with the GOP this morning on this procedural vote, as Democrats tried in vain to use a filibuster to block the DeVos nomination.

“The nominee for the Secretary of Education is one of the worst that has ever been brought before this body for a Cabinet position,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), as Democrats have zeroed in on DeVos’s education record.

The final vote will take place at the beginning of next week (probably Tuesday), and will also be along party lines, with the exception of the two defecting Republicans, Collins and Murkowski.

DeVos has faced some of the stiffest opposition, with Democrats targeting her over her wealth and education activism, which favors revamping public education by creating private education competition in the form of private and charter schools.