Betsy DeVos confirmed despite opposition from local U.S. Senators

Split down the middle. The U.S. Senate needed one vote to break their indecision on President Trump's nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

That vote it came down to Vice President Mike Pence making a historic move Tuesday afternoon. Pence using his tie-breaking power to confirm a nominee to Trump's Cabinet.

It's clear from the votes of the U.S. Senators from Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware that they were not happy with DeVos.

All six were quite vocal from the Senate floor to social media over the past 24 hours.

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia speaking on the Senate floor, "I think the children, parents, and teachers of this country are entitled to a Secretary of Education who is a champion of public education. They can be a supporter of choice, charters, vouchers, homeschooling but 90 percent of our kids go to public schools."

U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware tells 47 ABC, "In her confirmation hearing it suggested she really was unfamiliar with a lot of the basic laws and policies and issues that someone should be familiar with who is Secretary of Education."

And this tweet from U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland:

"#DeVos has no relevant experience. And she supports shifting funds away from public schools where 91% of US children get their #education"

Some senators making it clear their opposition was in direct response to the concerns of their constituents.

Sen. Kaine says, "In my four plus years in the Senate I have not had a single issue that has generated so much effort to contact my office as the nomination of Betsy DeVos."

"I heard from more than 3,000 Delawareans who wrote me letters or texted me or called me in opposition of her nomination," says Sen. Coons.

But Senator Coons, although concerned about her confirmation, says he's hopeful she will abandon some of her more controversial efforts such as reallocating tax payers dollars for private schools through private school vouchers.

"If she does moderate her views and ends up following the law and providing constructive leadership to the Department of Education as Secretary I would certainly be willing to work with her."