Washington, January 9 (RHC)-- Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is reportedly lobbying on behalf of Rex Tillerson, Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state.

The Washington Post reports that Cheney, the 75-year-old neo-conservative politician who served four Republican presidents and spent six terms in the House of Representatives, spoke to Senator Marco Rubio and some other senators in order to get their support for Tillerson’s confirmation from the Senate.

Tillerson is the chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, which is the world's 8th largest corporation by revenue and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.  The oil and gas giant is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company, and was established in 1999 by the merger of Exxon and Mobil.

Republicans hold a 10-to-nine advantage on the Foreign Relations Committee.  If just one Republican member and all Democrats gang up against Tillerson, they could sink his nomination.  

According to the Post, some deep-pocketed Republican Party donors also called Rubio to persuade him into supporting Tillerson’s confirmation.

According to reports, in a meeting with Trump, Robert Gates, former CIA director and former defense secretary, personally recommended Tillerson for the post of secretary of state.  While former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice made the same recommendation during her meeting with Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
              
Cheney has been a vocal supporter of the ExxonMobil CEO, describing his nomination as an “inspired choice.”  And earlier, former U..S secretary of state Henry Kissinger applauded Trump's selection of Tillerson for America’s next top diplomat.