Senate: Loretta Lynch Approved As Attorney General By Vote Of 56-43

After waiting on hold for more than five months, Loretta Lynch was approved by the U.S. Senate today by a vote of 56-43 to serve as U.S. attorney general.

Lynch becomes the first African-American woman to lead the Justice Department.

All Democrats voted for her, plus 10 Republicans: Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

The delay for Lynch's confirmation vote was a result of Senate Republicans using her confirmation as a political football in a dispute over abortion language in an anti-human trafficking bill. The Senate reached a compromise on that bill earlier this week, clearing the way for Lynch's vote.