Herman Cain elevation to Fed likely dead in the water following fourth GOP defection

President Trump's recently-floated elevation of Herman Cain to the seven-member Federal Reserve board has lost critical Republican support in the Senate, Fox News has learned, all but dooming the former GOP presidential candidate's chances.

Fox News has confirmed that North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer is opposed to Cain's prospective nomination to the Fed. Cramer would be the fourth GOP nay, joining Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Cory Gardner, and Mitt Romney.

With 53 Republicans in the Senate, losing four GOPers makes it unlikely Cain could score confirmation.

Earlier Thursday, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told Fox News the White House still wanted Cain to join the Fed, and referred back to Trump's comments on the matter earlier in the week.

Aware of the objections to Cain's possible selection, Trump said Wednesday that Cain is a "wonderful man," but that it will be up to him to decide whether to go forward with a nomination to the Fed.