President-elect Donald Trump is enjoying the drama over his decision on appointing a U.S. secretary of state and has expanded his list of prospects of state from four to six names, reports Politico, with “transition sources” telling the online political news outlet that Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker’s prospects have diminished.

The report coincides with a Michael Collins article reporting that Corker has come in for criticism from some arch conservatives.

From Politico:

After initially narrowing his list to four finalists, Trump expanded it anew over the weekend, with interview invitations given to ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson and retired Navy Admiral James G. Stavridis for this week.

Those are in addition to the previous top contenders: Mitt Romney, whom Trump has met with twice, Trump adviser and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gen. David Petraeus, and current Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Corker, although three transition sources said Corker’s chances have diminished in recent days.

“It is true that he’s broadened the search,” former Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told reporters Sunday.

From Collins’ report:

Just a few hours before Corker sat down with Trump for a meeting at his posh offices in New York City last Tuesday, a couple of prominent conservatives implored the president-elect not to choose the Tennessee senator as his secretary of state.

“We can do a lot better than this,” Mark Levin, editor-in-chief of the Conservative Review, said on his radio show Monday night. “If in fact Corker is chosen, it would be the worst presidential pick by a Republican in my lifetime. Absolutely the worst in such a position. It would be a disgrace.”

Continue reading →