Imagine being a wealthy Republican senator who gets a lot of money from the oil and gas industry. Now imagine the most unsettling nominee to lead the federal agency charged with overseeing the nations public lands and honoring the governments commitments to tribes. What might this nominee look like?

A Native American congresswoman with a record of environmental stewardship is a great fit for that role. And thats exactly why some GOP senators are scrambling to take down President Joe Biden s pick to head the Interior Department, Deb Haaland .

Bidens nomination of Haaland, a second-term Democratic House member from New Mexico, has generated tremendous excitement among tribes and members of Congress in both parties. Republican Reps. Tom Cole (Okla.) and Don Young (Alaska) have praised her bipartisan approach to policymaking in her role as chairwoman of the House Natural Resources subcommittee that has oversight of the Interior Department. She is one of just three Native American women in Congress and if confirmed as interior secretary, she will be the countrys first-ever Indigenous Cabinet member in any post.

But a handful of Republican senators have begun criticizing Haaland, and theres a theme to their attacks: Shes radical.

Im deeply concerned with the congresswomans support on several radical issues that will hurt Montana, our way of life, our jobs and rural America, Sen. Steve Daines (Mont.) said in a statement earlier this month.

Daines has vowed to try to block Haalands nomination before shes even had her confirmation hearing, which is set for Feb. 23. He said he has problems with her opposition to oil and gas leasing on federal lands and her opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline. He also raised concerns with her support for the Green New Deal, a progressive set of guiding principles to rein in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

Im not convinced the congresswoman can divorce her radical views and represent whats best for Montana and all stakeholders in the West, he said. Unless my concerns are addressed, I will block her confirmation.

Other GOP senators are starting to use the same language.

Haalands radical views are squarely at odds with the responsible management of our nations energy resources, Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.), the top Republican on the committee that will hold Haalands confirmation hearing, told E&E News last week.

Representative Haaland must demonstrate that she will follow the law, protect the multiple uses of our public lands, and reject policies that will force energy workers into the unemployment line, Barrasso said. I wont support her nomination otherwise.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn (Texas) and Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.) have piled on. Cornyn criticized her opposition to fracking on public lands, Lummis called her ideas for addressing climate change unrealistic.