The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted to advance William Barr's nomination to be U.S. attorney general, teeing up a swift confirmation vote that is expected to take place later this week.

Senators voted, 55-44, to curtail debate on Barr's nomination, with the vote falling largely along party lines. Three Democrats—Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Doug Jones of Alabama—voted to advance Barr's nomination to a final floor vote. One Republican—Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky—opposed Barr, while Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, did not vote.

A final confirmation on Barr's nomination could come as early as Wednesday or Thursday. If Barr—currently of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis—is confirmed, it'll be his second time leading the Justice Department. He was previously U.S. attorney general during the George H.W. Bush administration. Before that, Barr had also served as a deputy attorney general and headed the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.