In the wake of the indictment of Senator Bob Menendez, speculation is rampant about whether New Jersey Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill will be a candidate for governor of New Jersey or US Senate.  This is creating a field day for political pundits.

Regardless of her candidacy decision, Sherrill is presently involved as a leader in an historic battle to win Senate confirmation of Admiral Lisa Franchetti, President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the first woman Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). This would make Admiral Franchetti also the first woman member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Sherrill tirelessly championed and emphatically recommended to the Biden White House this nomination of Lisa Franchetti.  The New Jersey congresswoman’s advocacy was a major asset for the Franchetti cause, given the enormous military credibility of Sherrill due to her record as an Annapolis graduate and service as an officer in the United States Navy.

Now I must make full disclosure.  I am known among sports fans for my fanatical fandom of the NBA Brooklyn Nets and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles.  I am, however an even bigger fan of Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

Both Admiral Franchetti and I are graduates of Northwestern University, where we both studied history.  Last week, Northwestern made the US News and World Report list of the top ten national universities in America.  I graduated Northwestern in 1971, and Franchetti graduated in 1985.

And Lisa Franchetti and I have something else in common.  We both received our commissions as officers in the United States Navy from the Northwestern University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) unit at the time of our graduation.  Upon receiving my commission, I went on to serve proudly three years as an officer in the US Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

Lisa Franchetti, however, went on to something much greater – one of the most accomplished officers in the history of the United States Navy.  A surface warfare officer, she has commanded at all levels, heading the U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She was the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral, and she did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander.

Any US Senator who would oppose the confirmation of Admiral Lisa Franchetti would either be a misogynist or unpatriotic.  And Alabama Republican US Senator Tommy Tuberville has now proven himself to be both.

Previously, Tuberville had displayed his repulsive racism by his defense of white nationalism.  This resulted in his own brother, accomplished guitarist and songwriter, Charles Tuberville, unequivocally distancing himself from the lowlife Senator with his following statement:

“Due to recent statements by him promoting racial stereotypes, white nationalism and other various controversial topics, I feel compelled to distance myself from his ignorant, hateful rants.”

Now, in his latest outrage, Tuberville appears hell-bent in proving himself to be, as MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell described him, the “stupidest and most disgraceful” US Senator.  In an effort to pressure the Defense Department to rescind a policy that reimburses service members who must travel out of state for abortions and other reproductive care, Tuberville has used his blanket hold power to delay Senate confirmation of the promotion of over 200 military officers, including Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

This is a deplorable act of misogyny by Tuberville, who is attempting to obstruct women members of our armed services from receiving necessary health care.  Yet it is also a despicable act of unpatriotism by Tuberville, a man who never served a day in the military.

The delay on promotions caused by the Tuberville hold is having a highly detrimental effect on national security by hindering military readiness, which requires that critical positions be held by the qualified individual nominated.  It also is creating a hardship for service members, men and women, in that it delays the family moving plans of promoted officers and holds up their well-deserved pay raises.

Tommy Tuberville never reckoned with Mikie Sherrill, however.  She is determined to hold Tuberville accountable for his adherence to misogyny and horrific disregard of national security exigencies.

Sherrill has proposed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would attain two objectives: 1)Hold Tuberville accountable for his damage to national security by studying  the impact of his  dangerous holds on military promotions; and 2) protect the health care of women by codifying the current DoD abortion travel policy.

In the end, Admiral Franchetti will be confirmed, and Mikie Sherrill will deserve credit for her leadership in this historic effort to both protect the health care of women and enable them to break another glass ceiling that has for too long prevented them from attaining the highest positions in our military forces.  Regardless of one’s political party or leanings in the forthcoming elections for governor or US Senator, Mikie Sherrill has earned the approbation of all New Jerseyans.  And we Northwestern graduates will always have a special appreciation for Sherrill’s efforts that are enabling Admiral Lisa Franchetti to make history.

Alan J. Steinberg of Highland Park served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.